Portal:Christianity/Selected scripture/September 2010
12 And seeing this, Zacharias was troubled, and fear fell on him.
13 But the angel said to him, Do not fear, Zacharias. For your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 And you shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall neither drink wine nor strong drink. And he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
16 And he shall turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, By what shall I know this? For I am old, and my wife is advanced in her days.
19 And answering, the angel said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands before God. And I am sent to speak to you and to show you these glad tidings.
20 And behold, you shall be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed, because you did not believe my words which shall be fulfilled in their time.