This is taken from Luke 1:5-25; Luke 1:57-67
During the rule of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zach-a-ri-as, he served in the priestly group of A-bi-jah. His wife Elizabeth was a member of the family line of Aaron. They both were righteous in God's eyes. They obeyed the Lord's commandments and rules without failure to do what was required of them. They didn't have anychildren and now they both were well along in years.
Once when Zach-a-ri-as group was serving as priest before God, they drew lots, according to the custom of the priesthood. (Drawing lots is something like drawing names to see who would go first.) Zach-a-ri-as was chosen to go into the temple of the Lord to burn incenses to the Lord. While he was burning the incense all the other worshipers who was gathered outside of the was praying.
While he was in the temple an angel of the Lord apperard to him. The angel stood at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zach-a-ri-as saw the angel he was surprised and terribly afraid.
But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zach-a-ri-as your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you are to name him John. Your son will bring you joy and gladness, and many will rejoice because of your son's birth. For your son will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. He will bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God. He will go on before the Lord, in the Spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the heart of the fathers to their children and the disobedient people to the wisdom of the righteous people to make the people ready and prepare them for the Lord."
Zach-a-ri-as asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the immediate surrounding of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not be able to speak until the day the child is born, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at the proper time."
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zach-a-ri-as and wondering why he was staying so long in the temple. When Zach-a-ri-as came out of the temple, he could not speak to the people. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them, but he remained unable to speak.
When Zach-a-ri-as time of service was finished, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth was with child and for five minths she stayed in private. Elizabeth said, "The Lord has done this for me. In these days the Lord has shown his favor and he has taken away my disgrace among the people."
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Elizabeth neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
When the child was eight days old they came to circumcise him, and they were going to name the child after his father Zach-a-ri-as, but Elizabeth spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
They said to Elizabeth, "There is no one among your relatives named John."
Then they made sign to Zach-a-ri-as, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's surprise he wrote, "His name is John." As soon as he wrote that his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to talk, praising God. The neighbors were all filled with surprise, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it. They were asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.
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