001:014 Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice
over his birth.
001:015 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; no wine or
fermented drink shall he ever drink; but he will be filled
with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth.
001:016 Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;
001:017 and he will be His forerunner in the spirit and power
of Elijah, to turn fathers' hearts to the children,
and cause the rebellious to walk in the wisdom of the upright,
to make a people perfectly ready for the lord."
001:018 "By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."
001:019 "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God,"
answered the angel, "and I have been sent to talk with you
and tell you this good news.
001:020 And now you will be dumb and unable to speak until the day
when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words--
words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."
001:021 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were
surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.
001:022 When, however, he came out, he was unable to speak to them;
and they knew that he must have seen a vision in the Sanctuary;
but he kept making signs to them and continued dumb.
001:023 When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;
001:024 and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept
herself secluded five months.
001:025 "Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has
graciously taken away my reproach among men."
001:026 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,