Luke 1:57-80 ▼

57 Now the time was completed for Elizabeth, that she should give birth, and she brought forth a son.

58 And her neighbors and kindred heard that the Lord was magnifying His mercy together with her; and they rejoiced with her.

59 And it came to pass, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they were calling him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

60 And his mother, answering, said; "No; but he shall be called John."

61 And they said to her, "There is no one of your kindred who is called by this name."

62 And they were making signs to his father, what he wished him to be called.

63 And, asking for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, "John is his name." And they all marveled.

64 And his mouth was instantly opened, and his tongue loosed, and he was speaking, blessing God.

65 And fear came upon all those dwelling around them. And in all the hill country of Judea all these sayings were being much talked of;

66 and all who heard laid them up in their heart, saying, "What, then, shall this child be!" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And Zacharias, his father, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied, saying,

68 "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He visited, and wrought redemption for His people;

69 and raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant;

70 (as He spake through the mouth of His holy prophets from of old),

71 salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;

72 to show mercy towards our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant;

73 the oath which He swore to Abraham, our father;

74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

76 "And you also, child, shall be called 'Prophet of the Most High;' for you shall go before the face of the Lord, to prepare His ways;

77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people in remission of their sins,

78 because of the tender compassions of the mercy of our God, wherein the day-spring from on high shall visit us,

79 to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

80 And the child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.