John Is Born

57 Now the time 1had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had 1adisplayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59 And it happened that on athe eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, 1after his father.

60 But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but ahe shall be called John.”

61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”

62 And they amade signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.

63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “aHis name is John.” And they were all astonished.

64 aAnd at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.

65 Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all athe hill country of Judea.

66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For athe hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

Zacharias’s Prophecy

67 And his father Zacharias awas filled with the Holy Spirit, and bprophesied, saying: