13 »Have no fear Zechariah,« said the angel, »for God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elisabeth will have a son and his name will be John.

14 »You will be filled with joy, and many will be happy at his birth.

15 »He will be great in the eyes of God. He will not drink wine or strong drink and he will be full of Holy Spirit from the time of his birth.

16 »Great numbers of the children of Israel will return to Jehovah their God because of him. (1 Samuel 7:3)

17 »He will go before God in the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and wrongdoers to the way of righteousness. This will make ready a people whose hearts have been directed to Jehovah.« (Malachi 3:1)