^{67 Ref} His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

^{68 Ref} "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, For he has visited and worked redemption for his people;

^{69 Ref} And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

^{70 Ref} (As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),

^{71 Ref} Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;

^{72 Ref} To show mercy towards our fathers, To remember his holy covenant,

^{73 Ref} The oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father,

^{74 Ref} To grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,

^{75 Ref} In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

^{76 Ref} And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, For you will go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways,

^{77 Ref} To give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,

^{78 Ref} Because of the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,

^{79 Ref} To shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace."

^{80 Ref} The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.