Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁵⁷ The time had now come for Elizabeth's child to be born. She had a son.

⁵⁸ When her neighbours and family heard that the Lord had been so kind to her, they were glad, too.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day people came to circumcise [make a special mark on] the child. They were going to name him Zechariah like his father.

⁶⁰ But his mother said, `No, his name is to be John.'

⁶¹ They said to her, `But no one in your family has that name.'

⁶² They made signs to the father to find out what name he wanted the child to have.

⁶³ He asked for something to write on. He wrote, `His name is John.' They were all surprised.

⁶⁴ Right then he opened his mouth and his tongue was free. He began to speak and to praise God.

⁶⁵ Everyone who lived around there began to wonder at these things. And everywhere in the hill country of Judea, all these things were talked about.

⁶⁶ All those who heard them thought much about them. They said, `What will this child be some day?' They said this because the power of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁷ Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke words from God.

⁶⁸ He said, `Praise the Lord God of Israel! He has remembered his people, and set them free.

⁶⁹ He has chosen one from the family of his servant David. He has given him power to save us.

⁷⁰ That is what he promised through his holy prophets of God long ago.

⁷¹ He said he would save us from our enemies and set us free from those who hate us.

⁷² `He said he would be kind to our fathers. He said he would remember his agreement with them.

^73-75 That was what he promised our father Abraham he would surely do. He promised to set us free from our enemies. He promised that we should be without fear. He promised that we would worship him and be holy and good before him as long as we live.

⁷⁶ `You, my child, will be called the prophet or messenger of the Highest One. You will go ahead of the Lord to make his way ready.

⁷⁷ You will tell his people how to be saved by being forgiven for their wrong ways.

⁷⁸ `Our God is kind. A light from heaven will shine.

⁷⁹ That light will shine on those who are in darkness, and are going to die. That light will show us how to walk in peace.'

⁸⁰ The child grew. He became strong in spirit. He lived in the desert until the day when he came to the people of Israel.