And his mother answered and said, “Not so; but he shall be called John.”

And they said unto her, “There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.”

And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.”

And they marvelled all.  And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, blessing God.

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them:  and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then shall this child be?”

For the hand of the Lord was with him.

THE SONG OF ZACHARIAS.

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

    “Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel;
    For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people,
    And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us
    In the house of his servant David
    (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been
        from of old),
    Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us;
    To show mercy towards our fathers. 
    And to remember his holy covenant;
    The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father,
    To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of
        our enemies
    Should serve him without fear,
    In holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 
    Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: 
    For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready
        his ways;
    To give knowledge of salvation unto his people
    In the remission of their sins,
    Because of the tender mercy of our God,
    Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us,
    To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death;
    To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.

THE BIRTH AND INFANCY OF JESUS

JOSEPH AND MARY.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:  When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:  for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins.”