¹¹ Now ^(A)an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. ¹² Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and ^(B)fear ^[a]gripped him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “^(C)Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and ^(D)you shall ^[b]name him John. ¹⁴ You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will ^(E)drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit ^[c]while still in his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will ^(F)turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And it is he who will ^(G)go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of ^(H)Elijah, ^(I)to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to ^(J)make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸ Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For ^(K)I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her ^[d]years.” ¹⁹ The angel answered and said to him, “I am ^(L)Gabriel, who ^[e](M)stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.