57Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
58When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
59So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
60His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
61But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
63And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.
64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
65Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
68“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,
69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,
70As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,
71That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us,
72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant,
73The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,
75In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins,
78Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
