Luke 1:5-11. There was in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord without blame. And they had no son, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in their days. And it came to pass, when Zacharias was executing the priestly office in the order of his course before God, according to the custom of the priesthood, that it fell to him by lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside, at the hour of the incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And Zacharias was troubled at the sight, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you shall have joy and exultation, and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great before the Lord; and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. And he shall turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God; and he himself shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the unbelieving to the wisdom of the just, to prepare for the Lord a perfect people. And Zacharias said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this?
I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days. And the angel answering said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak, until the day when these things shall come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time. And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he tarried so long in the temple. But coming out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. And it came to pass, when the days of his office were fulfilled, that he departed to his own house.
And after these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she hid herself for five months, saying: Thus has the Lord done for me in the days wherein He looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men.