[1:57] The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son.
[1:58] Her neighbors and relatives heard how wonderfully good the Lord had been to her, and they all rejoiced with her.
[1:59] When the baby was a week old, they came to circumcise him, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.
[1:60] But his mother said, “No! His name is to be John.”
[1:61] They said to her, “But you don't have any relative with that name!”
[1:62] Then they made signs to his father, asking him what name he would like the boy to have.
[1:63] Zechariah asked for a writing pad and wrote, “His name is John.” How surprised they all were!
[1:64] At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God.
[1:65] The neighbors were all filled with fear, and the news about these things spread through all the hill country of Judea.
[1:66] Everyone who heard of it thought about it and asked, “What is this child going to be?” For it was plain that the Lord's power was upon him.