5 It started with the priest Zekaryah (Zechariah; Grk. Zakarias) and his wife Elisheva (Elizabeth; Grk. Elisabet) at the time when Herodes (Herod) was the king of Yehudah (Judea). (Zekaryah was in the priestly division of Aviyah,[ref] and Elisheva was also a descendant of Aharon (Aaron).) 6 God considered them both good and blameless as they followed his instructions and obeyed his rules. 7 Elisheva had never been able to have a child, so there was just the two of them as they were now getting older.

8 One time as he was taking his rostered turn to serve God along with his division, 9 he was chosen by lot (this was how the priests assigned tasks) to light the incense in the temple, and so he proceeded inside. 10 A lot of people would be praying outside the temple at the time when the incense was burnt. 11 At that moment, a messenger from God appeared to Zekaryah, standing right there at the right of the incense altar. 12 Zekaryah got a big fright at seeing him there and started to tremble. 13 But the messenger spoke, “Don’t be scared Zekaryah, because your request has been listened to, and your wife Elisheva will give birth to a son and you’ll name him Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes). 14 He’ll bring a lot of happiness to you and you’ll be proud of him—in fact many people will be glad. 15 He’ll be considered special in God’s eyes, but he won’t be allowed to drink wine or spirits.[ref] Even while he’s still in his mother’s womb, he’ll be filled with God’s spirit. 16 He will turn many Israeli people back to Yahweh, their God. 17 And he will go on ahead of God with the spirit and the power of Eliyah (Elijah), to turn fathers back to loving their children and to turn career criminals towards the wisdom of godly people, to get the people ready for Yahweh.”[ref]

18 Zekaryah asked the messenger, “How will I know if you’re telling the truth, because I’m an older man and my wife is also getting old?”

19 Now the messenger rebuked him, “I am Gavriel (Gabriel)[ref] who stood right in front of God and was commanded to come here and talk to you, and to tell all of this to you, 20 ⇔so listen to this: Because you didn’t believe my message, you’ll be made silent and unable to speak until the day that all of these things happen, and they certainly will happen at the proper times.”

21 Meanwhile, the people outside were expecting Zekaryah to come back out, and were wondering what could be holding him up there inside the temple. 22 But when he did emerge, he wasn’t able to speak to them. They wondering if maybe he’d seen a vision in the temple, and he nodded to confirm this although he remained mute, 23 and after he’d finished his rostered days in the temple, he returned home.

24 As time went on, Elisheva (Elizabeth; Grk. Elisabet) became pregnant and secluded herself away for five months, saying, 25 “Yahweh has done this for me. At this time he’s looked down at me and taken away the public shame of my being childless.”