The Birth of John the Baptist

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth that she should give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her,[fn] and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were wanting to name him after[fn] his father Zechariah. 60 And his mother answered and[fn] said, “No, but he will be named John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one of your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 So they made signs to his father asking what he wanted him to be named, 63 and he asked for a writing tablet and[fn] wrote, saying, “John is his name.” And they were all astonished. 64 And his mouth and his tongue were opened immediately, and he began to speak,[fn] praising God. 65 And fear came on all those who lived near them, and in all the hill country of Judea all these events were discussed. 66 And all those who heard kept these things[fn] in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be? For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him!”