56. Mary stayed about three months with Elizabeth and then went back home.
57. The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son.
58. Her neighbours and relatives heard how wonderfully good the Lord had been to her, and they all rejoiced with her.
59. When the baby was a week old, they came to circumcise him, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.
60. But his mother said, “No! His name is to be John.”
61. They said to her, “But you have no relatives with that name!”
62. Then they made signs to his father, asking him what name he would like the boy to have.
63. Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” How surprised they all were!
64. At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God.
65. The neighbours were all filled with fear, and the news about these things spread through all the hill country of Judea.