12. And when Zeḵaryah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13. But the messenger said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zeḵaryah, for your prayer is heard. And your wife Elisheḇa shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Yoḥanan.
14. “And you shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15. “For he shall be great before יהוה, and shall drink no wine and strong drink at all. And he shall be filled with the Set-apart Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
16. “And he shall turn many of the children of Yisra’ĕl to יהוה their Elohim.
17. “And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Ěliyahu, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the insight of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for יהוה.”
18. And Zeḵaryah said to the messenger, “By what shall I know this? For I am old, and my wife advanced in years.”
19. And the messenger answering, said to him, “I am Gaḇri’ĕl, who stands in the presence of Elohim, and was sent to speak to you and announce to you this good news.
20. “But see, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day this takes place, because you did not believe my words which shall be filled in their appointed time.”
21. And the people waited for Zeḵaryah, and marvelled at his delay in the Dwelling Place.
22. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them. And they recognised that he had seen a vision in the Dwelling Place, for he was beckoning to them and remained dumb.
23. And it came to be, as soon as the days of his service were completed, he went away to his house.
24. And after those days his wife Elisheḇa conceived. And she hid herself five months, saying,
25. “יהוה has done this for me, in the days when He looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men.”
26. And in the sixth month the messenger Gaḇri’ĕl was sent by Elohim to a city of Galil named Natsareth,
27. to a maiden engaged to a man whose name was Yosĕph, of the house of Dawiḏ. And the maiden’s name was Miryam.
28. And the messenger, coming to her, said, “Greetings, favoured one, the Master is with you. Blessed are you among women!”
29. But she was greatly disturbed at his word, and wondered what kind of greeting this was.
30. And the messenger said to her, “Do not be afraid, Miryam, for you have found favour with Elohim.