Luke 1:66-79

The people who heard about them wondered, saying, “What will this child be?” because the Lord was with him. Then Zechariah, John’s father, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to help his people and has given them freedom. He has given us a powerful Savior from the family of God’s servant David. He said that he would do this through his holy prophets who lived long ago: He promised he would save us from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us. He said he would give mercy to our ancestors and that he would remember his holy promise. God promised Abraham, our father, that he would save us from the power of our enemies so we could serve him without fear, being holy and good before God as long as we live. “Now you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God. You will go before the Lord to prepare his way. You will make his people know that they will be saved by having their sins forgiven. With the loving mercy of our God, a new day from heaven will dawn upon us. It will shine on those who live in darkness, in the shadow of death. It will guide us into the path of peace.”