Luke 1:10-19

¹⁰While he was burning the incense, many people were outside in the courtyard, praying.

¹¹Then an angel whom God had sent appeared to him. The angel was standing at the right side of the place where the priests burned incense.

¹²When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and became very afraid.

¹³But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, do not be afraid! When you (sg) prayed asking God for a son (OR, that God would send the Messiah), God heard what you prayed. So your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son. You must name him John.

¹⁴He will cause you to be very happy, and many other people will also be happy because he is born.

¹⁵God will consider him to be very important. He must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink, in order that he will be completely dedicated to God. He will be controlled by the Holy Spirit {The Holy Spirit will control him} from before he is born.

¹⁶He will persuade many people in Israel to turn away from their sins and please the Lord their God.

¹⁷As God's Spirit enables him to preach powerfully as the prophet Elijah did, he will precede the Messiah. He will cause parents SYN to act peacefully toward their children again. He will cause many people who do not obey God to hear and obey the wise things that righteous people tell them. He will do this in order to help many people to be ready when the Lord comes.”

¹⁸Then Zechariah said to the angel, “I am very old, and my wife is also so old that she cannot bear a child. So ◄I cannot believe that what you (sg) said will happen!/how can I believe that what you (sg) said will happen?► RHQ”

¹⁹Then the angel said to him, “I am God's chief angel, Gabriel! I do what God tells me, because I constantly am in God's presence! I was sent { He sent me} to tell you (sg) something good that is going to happen to you.