64. And his mouth was immediately unlocked as well as his tongue, and he began to speak, praising God.
65. Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these matters were talked about throughout the hill country of Judah.
66. Everyone who heard pondered these things in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child become?” For the hand of Adonai was on him.
67. His father Zechariah was filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and prophesied, saying,
68. “Blessed be Adonai, God of Israel, for He has looked after His people and brought them redemption.
69. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70. just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ages past,
71. salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us!
72. So He shows mercy to our fathers and remembers His holy covenant,
73. the vow which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us—
74. rescued fearlessly from the hand of our enemies—to serve Him,
75. in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76. And you, child, will be called a prophet of Elyon. For you will go before Adonai to prepare His ways,
77. to give knowledge of salvation to His people through removal of their sins.
78. Through our God’s heart of mercy, the Sunrise from on high will come upon us,
79. to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of shalom.”
80. And the child kept growing and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.