Study Desk

Now the time ^(F1)had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had ^(F1)(C1)displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

And it happened that on ^(C1)the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, ^(F1)after his father.

And yet his mother responded and said, "No indeed; but ^(C1)he shall be called John."

And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."

And they ^(F1)(C1)made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.

And he asked for a tablet and wrote ^(F1)as follows, "^(C1)His name is John." And they were all amazed.

^(C1)And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking in praise of God.

And fear came on all those who lived around them; and all these matters were being talked about in ^(C1)the entire hill country of Judea.

All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will this child turn out to be?" For indeed ^(C1)the hand of the Lord was with him.

And his father Zechariah ^(C1)was filled with the Holy Spirit and ^(C2)prophesied, saying:

"^(C1)Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished ^(C2)redemption for His people,

And has raised up a ^(C1)horn of salvation for us In the house of ^(C2)His servant David—

^(C1)Just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets ^(C2)from ancient times—

^(F1)(C1)Salvation ^(C2)from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;

^(C1)To show mercy to our fathers, ^(C2)And to remember His holy covenant,

^(C1)The oath which He swore to our father Abraham,

To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Would serve Him without fear,

^(C1)In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

-"And you, child, also will be called the ^(C1)prophet of ^(C2)the Most High; For you will go on ^(C3)before the Lord to ^(C4)prepare His ways;

To give His people the knowledge of salvation ^(F1)By ^(C1)the forgiveness of their sins,

Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which ^(C1)the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

^(C1)To shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the ^(C2)way of peace."

^(C1)Now the child grew and was becoming strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.