Luke 1:57-80. Now Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. And his mother answering said: Not so, but he shall be called John. And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called; and asking for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all marvelled. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed; and he spoke, blessing God. And
And fear came upon all their neighbours; and throughout all the hill country of Judea all these words were noised abroad. And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What manner of child, think you, shall this be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied, saying: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people. And he hath raised up a horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant. As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from of old: Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant.
The oath which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us, that being delivered without fear from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him in holiness and justice before him, all our days. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins, through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us, to enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit; and he was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation unto Israel.