5 m In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, [1] n of o the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both p righteous before God, walking q blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because r Elizabeth was barren, and s both were advanced in years.
8 Now t while he was serving as priest before God when u his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot v to enter w the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people x were praying y outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of z the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and a fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for b your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and c you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will d rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be e great before the Lord. And f he must not drink wine or strong g drink, and g he will be h filled with the Holy Spirit, i even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and j he will go before him k in the spirit and power of Elijah, l to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and m the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, n to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
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