16. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.
17. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”
18. Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”
19. Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!
20. But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”
21. Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.
22. When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.
23. When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.
24. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.
25. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
26. In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,
27. to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
28. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”