The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New International Version NIV
57 The time arrived for Elisheva to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son.
57
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how good ADONAI had been to her, and they rejoiced with her.
58
Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day, they came to do the child's b'rit-milah. They were about to name him Z'kharyah, after his father,
59
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
60 when his mother spoke up and said, "No, he is to be called Yochanan."
60
but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
61 They said to her, "None of your relatives has that name,"
61
They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
62 and they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called.
62
Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone's surprise he wrote, "His name is Yochanan."
63
He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”
64 At that moment, his power of speech returned, and his first words were a b'rakhah to God.
64
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 All their neighbors were awestruck; and throughout the hill country of Y'hudah, people talked about all these things.
65
All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
66 Everyone who heard of them said to himself, "What is this child going to be?" For clearly the hand of ADONAI was with him.
66
Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
67 His father Z'kharyah was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and spoke this prophecy:
67
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 "Praised be ADONAI, the God of Isra'el, because he has visited and made a ransom to liberate his people
68
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 by raising up for us a mighty Deliverer who is a descendant of his servant David.
69
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70 It is just as he has spoken through the mouth of the prophets from the very beginning --
70
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 that we should be delivered from our enemies and from the power of all who hate us.
71
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 "This has happened so that he might show the mercy promised to our fathers -- that he would remember his holy covenant,
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to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath he swore before Avraham avinu
73
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to grant us that we, freed from our enemies, would serve him without fear,
74
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
75
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 You, child, will be called a prophet of Ha`Elyon; you will go before the Lord to prepare his way
76
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 by spreading the knowledge among his people that deliverance comes by having sins forgiven
77
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 through our God's most tender mercy, which causes the Sunrise to visit us from Heaven,
78
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those in darkness, living in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the paths of peace."
79
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilderness until the time came for him to appear in public to Isra'el.
80
And the child grew and became strong in spirit ; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.