66. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
67. Then Zechariah his father, filled with the holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
68. “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,for he has visited and brought redemption to his people.
69. He has raised up a horn for our salvationwithin the house of David his servant,
70. even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:
71. salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72. to show mercy to our fathersand to be mindful of his holy covenant
73. and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father,and to grant us that,
74. rescued from the hand of enemies,without fear we might worship him
75. in holiness and righteousnessbefore him all our days.
76. And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77. to give his people knowledge of salvationthrough the forgiveness of their sins,
78. because of the tender mercy of our Godby which the daybreak from on high will visit us
79. to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow,to guide our feet into the path of peace.”