Luke 1:57-80

The Birth of John

1:57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 1:58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

1:59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. 1:60 But his mother replied, “No! He must be named John.” 1:61 They said to her, “But none of your relatives bears this name.” 1:62 So they made signs to the baby’s father, inquiring what he wanted to name his son. 1:63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 1:64 Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue released, and he spoke, blessing God. 1:65 All their neighbors were filled with fear, and throughout the entire hill country of Judea all these things were talked about. 1:66 All who heard these things kept them in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the Lord’s hand was indeed with him.

Zechariah’s Praise and Prediction

1:67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,

1:68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

because he has come to help and has redeemed his people.

1:69 For he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

1:70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago,

1:71 that we should be saved from our enemies,

and from the hand of all who hate us.

1:72 He has done this to show mercy to our ancestors,

and to remember his holy covenant –

1:73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.

This oath grants

1:74 that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,

may serve him without fear,

1:75 in holiness and righteousness before him for as long as we live.

1:76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High.

For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

1:77 to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.

1:78 Because of our God’s tender mercy

the dawn will break upon us from on high

1:79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

1:80 And the child kept growing and becoming strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he was revealed to Israel.