The Saints Gospel 3
The Promise to Zechariah
← 2 The Son of David and Abraham · The Saints Gospel: all scenes · 4 The Annunciation to Mary →
Woven from Luke 1:5–25
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. He had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the Lord’s commandments and ordinances. They had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days. While he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the priesthood’s custom, he was chosen by lot to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense. The whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not fear, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. He will certainly drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. He himself will go before Him in Elijah’s spirit and power, to turn fathers’ hearts toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare for the Lord a people made ready.”
Zechariah said to the angel, “By what shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days.” The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and announce this good news to you. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their appointed time.”
The people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary. When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained mute. When the days of his service were completed, he went home. After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she kept herself secluded for five months, saying, “Thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked upon me to remove my reproach among people.”
← 2 The Son of David and Abraham · The Saints Gospel: all scenes · 4 The Annunciation to Mary →
Saints Translation · The Saints Gospel · a harmony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts 1 · words of Christ in red · working draft awaiting specialist review.