Luke 1:57-80
John the Baptist Is Born
57Now the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to 1give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had amagnified His great mercy toward her, and they were rejoicing with her.
59And it happened that on athe eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after the name of his father. 60But his mother answered and said, “No, but ahe shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62And they awere making signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “aHis name is John.” And they all marveled. 64aAnd at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing God. 65And fear came on all those living around them, and all these matters were being talked about in all athe hill country of Judea. 66And all who heard these things put them in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” For athe hand of the 1Lord was indeed with him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
68“aBlessed be the 1Lord God of Israel,For He visited and accomplished bredemption for His people,69And raised up a ahorn of salvation for usIn the house of David bHis servant—70aAs He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets bfrom of old—711,aSalvation bfrom our enemies,And from the hand of all who hate us,72aTo show mercy toward our fathers,bAnd to remember His holy covenant,73aThe oath which He swore to Abraham our father,74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,Might serve Him without fear,75aIn holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.76“And you, child, will be called the aprophet of bthe Most High,For you will go on cbefore the 1Lord to dmake ready His ways,77To give to His people the knowledge of salvation1By athe forgiveness of their sins,78Because of the tender mercy of our God,With which athe Sunrise from on high will visit us,79aTo shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,To direct our feet into the bway of peace.”80aAnd the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the desolate regions until the day of his public appearance to Israel.