In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

The whole multitude of people was praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said to him, do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer, is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

He will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the holy spirit, even from his mother's womb.

He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the lord a people prepared.

Zechariah said to the angel, how shall I know this, for I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. The angel answers him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

Behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time. The people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple.

When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceive that he had seen a vision in the temple, and he made signs to them and remained dumb. When his time of service ended, he went to his home.

After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid, saying, the lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

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