Luke 1:57–79

THE BIRTH AND NAMING OF JOHN

⁵⁷Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. ⁵⁸Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her his great mercy,^v and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day,^w they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. ⁶⁰But his mother responded, “No. He will be called John.”^x

⁶¹Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.” ⁶²So they motioned to his father^y to find out what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. ⁶⁴Immediately his mouth was opened^z and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea. ⁶⁶All who heard about him^aa took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.

ZECHARIAH’S PROPHECY

⁶⁷Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit^ab and prophesied:^ac

⁶⁸Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,^ad

because he has visited

and provided redemption for his people.^ae

⁶⁹He has raised up a horn of salvation for us^af

in the house of his servant David,^a

⁷⁰just as he spoke by the mouth

of his holy prophets in ancient times;^b

⁷¹salvation from our enemies

and from the hand of those who hate us.

⁷²He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors^c

and remembered his holy covenant^d—

⁷³the oath that he swore to our father Abraham.^e

He has given us the privilege,

⁷⁴since we have been rescued

from the hand of our enemies,

to serve him without fear

⁷⁵in holiness and righteousness

in his presence all our days.

⁷⁶And you, child, will be called

a prophet of the Most High,^f

for you will go before the Lord

to prepare his ways,^g

⁷⁷to give his people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins.^h

⁷⁸Because of our God’s merciful compassion,

the dawn from on highⁱ will visit us

⁷⁹to shine on those who live in darkness

and the shadow of death,^j

to guide our feet into the way of peace.