Luke 1:5–17

John the Baptist’s Birth Foretold

^5aIn the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the ^bdivision of ¹Abijah, and he had a wife ²from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

⁶And they were both ^arighteous in the sight of God, walking ^bblamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the ¹Lord.

⁷But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in ¹years.

⁸Now it happened that while ^ahe was performing his priestly service before God in the order of his division,

⁹according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot ^ato enter the ¹sanctuary of the ²Lord and burn incense.

¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people were praying ^aoutside at the hour of the incense offering.

¹¹And ^aan angel of the ¹Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

¹²And Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and ^afear fell upon him.

¹³But the angel said to him, “^aDo not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will ¹bear you a son, and ^byou will call his name ²John.

¹⁴“And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

¹⁵“^aFor he will be great in the sight of the ¹Lord; and ^ahe will not drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit ²while yet in his mother’s womb.

¹⁶“And he will ^aturn many of the sons of Israel back to the ¹Lord their God.

¹⁷“And he will ^ago before Him in the spirit and power of ^bElijah, ^cto turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to ^dmake ready a people prepared for the ¹Lord.”