Luke 1:5-25
Chapter 1
Both of them were righteous in God’s eyes and lived blamelessly according to all the laws and commands of the Lord,
but they had no children. Elizabeth was unable to have children, and they were both very old now.
Now, while Zechariah and those with him were carrying out their duties,
it fell to him by lot, according to the priestly custom, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense.
At the time of offering the incense, all the people were praying outside;
it was then that an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Seeing the angel, Zechariah was distressed, and fear overtook him.
But the angel said to him:
“Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. Be assured that your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.
He will bring joy and gladness to you, and many will rejoice at his birth.
This son of yours will be great in the eyes of the Lord. Listen: he shall never drink wine or strong drink, but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
Through him, many of the people of Israel will turn to the Lord their God.
He, himself, will open the way to the Lord with the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah; he will reconcile fathers and children, and lead the disobedient to wisdom and righteousness to prepare a people ready for the Lord.”
Zechariah asked the angel:
“How can I believe this? I am an old man, and my wife is also advanced in years.”
The angel responded:
“I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news! My words will come true in their time.
But because you did not believe, you will be silent and unable to speak until this has happened.”
Meanwhile, the people waited for Zechariah, and they were surprised that he took so long in the Sanctuary.
When he finally appeared, he couldn’t speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the Sanctuary. He stayed silent and gestured to them.
When his service was finished, Zechariah went home;
and, some time later, Elizabeth became pregnant. She kept to herself for five months, staying at home, and thinking:
“This, for me, is the Lord’s doing! This is his time for mercy and for lifting my public shame.”