d she
brought a son. (58)And her neighbours and her relations heard, that the
Lord had magnified his mercy upon her; and they congratulated her.
(59)And it came to pass, on the eighth day they came to circumcise the
child; and they called him after the name of his father, Zacharias.
(60)And his mother spake and said, No; but he shall be called John.
(61)And they said to her, There is not one among thy relations, who is
called by this name. (62)And they made signs to his father, what he
would have him called. (63)And desiring a writing tablet, he wrote,
saying, John is his name. And they were all surprised. (64)Instantly
then his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he burst out in
praises to God. (65)And great awe fell on all those who dwelt around
them: and in all the mountainous country of Judea, all these
circumstances were the subject of conversation. (66)And all who heard
them laid them up in their hearts, saying, Well! what a child will this
be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

(67)And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and
prophesied, saying, (68)Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; for he
hath visited and wrought redemption for his people; (69)and hath raised
up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David: (70)as
he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been from the
beginning: (71)even preservation from our enemies, and from the hand of
all that hate us; (72)to perform mercy towards our fathers, and to
remember his own holy covenant: (73)the oath which he sware to Abraham
our father, (74)to give us, that we, secure from fear, rescued from the
hands of our enemies, should serve him, (75)in righteousness and
holiness before him, all the days of our life. (76)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; (77)to give the knowledge of
salvation to his people, by the remission of their sins, (78)through
the bowels of mercy of our God; with which he hath visited us, as the
dawn of the morning from on high, (79)to illumine those who sat in
darkness, and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way
of peace. (80)And the child grew, and became mighty in spirit, and was
in the deserts until the days of his public exhibition to Israel.

CHAP. II.

NOW it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from
Caesar Augustus, that the whole land should be