⁸When his division was on duty^l and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹it happened that he was chosen by lot,^m according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.ⁿ ¹⁰At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. ¹¹An angel of the Lord^o appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.^p ¹²When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear.^q ¹³But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid,^r Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.^s Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.^t

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Cross references

k Gn 4:1; 18:11; Jdg 13:2–3; 1Sm 1:2; 2:20; Ps 113:9; 127:3–5; Heb 11:11–12
l 1Ch 24:19; 2Ch 8:14; 31:2
m Jos 18:6,8,10; 1Ch 24:31; 25:8; 26:13–14; Neh 10:34; 11:1; Ac 1:26
n Ex 30:7–8
o Mt 2:13–14; 28:2; Lk 2:9; Ac 5:19; 8:26; 12:7
p Mk 16:5; Ac 2:33
q Gn 21:17; Jdg 6:22–23; 2Kg 1:15; Mt 1:20; 28:5; Lk 2:10; Ac 10:3–4; 27:23–24
r Gn 15:1; Mt 14:27; Lk 1:30
s Gn 25:21; 1Kg 8:45,49; 2Kg 20:5; Ps 6:9; Is 38:5
t Gn 16:11; 17:15,19; Is 8:3; Hs 1:4,9; Mt 1:20,23; Lk 1:60,63

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

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, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were 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. And 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 has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

NLTNew Living Translation

They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren. And they were both advanced in years.

And it happened that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood he was chosen by lot to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense. And the whole crowd of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was terrified when he saw the angel, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him,

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah,

because your prayer has been heard,

and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you will call his name John.

KJV 1900King James Version

And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

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