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Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
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When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
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So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
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His mother answered and said, "No; he shall be called John."
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But they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."
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So they made signs to his father--what he would have him called.
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And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John." So they all marveled.
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Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
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Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
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And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, "What kind of child will this be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.
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Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
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"Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,
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And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,
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As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,
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That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us,
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To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant,
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The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
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To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,
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In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
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And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
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To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins,
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Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
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To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."
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So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.