At the Incense Altar

1Since many have undertaken to compile an account concerning the matters that have been fulfilled among us,

2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and became servants of the word handed them down to us,

3it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely from the beginning, to write them to you in orderly sequence, most excellent Theophilus,

4so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you were instructed.

5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, from the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6And both of them were righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

7And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both of them were advanced in years.

8It happened, while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to burn incense when he entered into the temple of the Lord,

10And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.

11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”

14And there will be joy and exultation for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.

15For he will be great before the Lord, and he will drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.

16And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.

17And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to prepare for the Lord a people made ready.

18And Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days.”

19And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.”

20And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their appointed time.

21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were marveling at his delay in the temple.

22But when he came out, he was not able to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.

23And it happened that when the days of his service were completed, he went to his home.

24After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she kept herself hidden for five months, saying,

25because this is how the Lord has dealt with me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.