59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they wanted to call him, after the name of his father, Zacharias.

60 And his mother said, "No, but call him John."

61 And they said to her, 'There is no one in thy kinsman who is called by this name.'

62 And they asked his father by signs what he would call him.

63 He demanded a tablet and wrote: John is his name. And everyone was surprised.

64 And straightway his mouth and his tongue were opened, and he began to speak, blessing God.

65 And fear was upon all that dwelt round them; and they told all these things throughout all the hill country of Judah.

66 And all those who heard these things put it in their hearts, and said, What shall this child be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited his people, and wrought deliverance for them,

69 And he raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant,

70 As He hath declared by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been from eternity,

71 what shall save us from our enemies, and from the hand of all them that hate us;

72 He will show mercy to our fathers, and will remember His holy covenant,

73 The oath which he swore to Abraham our father to give us,

74 Fearlessly, after being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

75 to serve him in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our lives.

76 And thou, little child, shalt be called a prophet of the Most High, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,

77 to make his people understand his salvation in the forgiveness of their sins,

78 according to the gracious mercy of our God, by which the East hath visited us from on high,

79 To enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to set our feet in the way of peace.