Daily Bread

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea^(A) there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah;^(B) his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.^{(C) 7} But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,^{(D) 9} he was chosen by lot,^(E) according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.^{(F) 10} And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.^(G)

¹¹ Then an angel^(H) of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.^{(I) 12} When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.^{(J) 13} But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,^(K) Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.^{(L) 14} He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,^{(M) 15} for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,^(N) and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit^(O) even before he is born.^{(P) 16} He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord,^(Q) in the spirit and power of Elijah,^(R) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children^(S) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”^(T)

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?^(U) I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”^(V)

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.^(W) I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak^(X) until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs^(Y) to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(Z) among the people.”