Luke 1:11-20

Expanded Bible

¹¹ Then an angel ·of [sent by] the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing on the right side of the incense ·table [altar]. ¹² When he saw the angel, Zechariah was ·startled [shaken] and frightened. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, don’t be afraid. God has heard your ·prayer [petition]. Your wife, Elizabeth, will ·give birth to [bear for you] a son, and you will name him John. ¹⁴ He will bring you joy and ·gladness [delight], and many people will ·be happy [rejoice] because of his birth. ¹⁵ [^LFor; Because] John will be a great man ·for [in the eyes of; ^Lbefore] the Lord. He will never drink wine or beer [^Cindicating he will be set apart to God for special service; Num. 6:3], and even ·from birth [or in his mother’s womb; 1:41, 44], he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ He will help many ·people [^Lof the children] of Israel return to the Lord their God [1 Kin. 18:37]. ¹⁷ He will go before ·the Lord [^Lhim] in [the] spirit and power ·like [of] Elijah. He will ·make peace between parents and [^Lturn the hearts of parents/fathers back to] their children and will bring those who are not obeying God back to the ·right way of thinking [or wisdom of the righteous], ·to make a people ready [^Lto prepare a people who are fit/ready] for the ·coming of the Lord [^LLord; Mal. 4:5–6].”

¹⁸ Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know ·that what you say is true [^Lthis]? [^LFor] I am an old man, and my wife is old, too [Gen. 17:17].”

¹⁹ The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel [^Cone of two named angels in Scripture (the other is Michael); Dan. 8:16; 9:21; 10:10–14]. I stand before God, who sent me to talk to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ Now, ·listen [^Llook; ^Tbehold]! You will [^Lbe silent and] not be able to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe ·what I told you [^Lmy words]. ·But they will really happen [^L…which will be fulfilled at their appointed time].”