Study Desk

There was in the dayes of Herode the king of Iudea, a certaine Priest, named Zacharias, of the course of Abia, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the Commandements and ordinances of the Lord, blamelesse.

And they had no childe, because that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well striken in yeeres.

And it came to passe, that while he executed the Priests office before God in the order of his course,

According to the custome of the Priests office, his lot was to burne incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord.

And the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incense.

And there appeared vnto him an Angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the Altar of incense.

And when Zacharias sawe him, hee was troubled, and feare fell vpon him.

But the Angel said vnto him, Feare not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall beare thee a sonne, and thou shalt call his name Iohn.

And thou shalt haue ioy and gladnesse, and many shall reioyce at his birth:

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shal drinke neither wine, nor strong drinke, and he shall bee filled with the holy Ghost, euen from his mothers wombe.

And many of the children of Israel shall hee turne to the Lord their God.

And hee shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisedome of the iust, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

And Zacharias said vnto the Angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well striken in yeeres.

And the Angel answering, said vnto him, I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speake vnto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

And behold, thou shalt be dumbe, and not able to speake, vntill the day that these things shall bee performed, because thou beleeuest not my words, which shall bee fulfilled in their season.

And the people waited for Zacharias, and maruelled that hee taried so long in the temple.

And when he came out, he could not speake vnto them: and they perceiued that he had seene a vision in the temple: for he beckened vnto them, and remained speechlesse.

And it came to passe, that as soone as the dayes of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his owne house.

And after those dayes his wife Elizabeth conceiued, and hid her selfe fiue moneths, saying,

Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the dayes wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproch among men.