13. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.
14. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15. for he will be great in the sight of [the] Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,
16. and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”
18. Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
19. And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
20. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
21. Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
22. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute.
23. Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.
24. After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
25. “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”
26. In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
27. to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.