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There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course
of Abia: and his wife was of the
daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
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And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
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And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in
years.
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And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the
order of his course,
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According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn
incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
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And the whole multitude of the people
were praying without at the time of incense.
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And there appeared unto him an angel of
the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
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And when Zacharias saw him,
he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
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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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And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
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For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink;
and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost,
even from his mother's womb.
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And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
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And he shall
go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to
the
wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
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And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
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And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am
sent to speak unto thee, and to show
thee these glad tidings.
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And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou
believest not my
words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
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And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
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And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple:
for he beckoned unto
them, and remained speechless.
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And it came
to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
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And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
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Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
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