(合用 可用 隨便用)

譯本是參照 AFV (A Faithful Version 希臘文) 2009

5. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest of the course of Abijah, Zacharias by name; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6. Now they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

7. But they did not have a child, as Elizabeth was barren; and both were well advanced in age.

8. And it came to pass that in fulfilling his priestly service before God in the order of his course,

9. According to the custom of the priestly service, it fell to him by lot to burn incense when he entered into the temple of the Lord.

10. And all the multitude of the people outside were praying at the hour of the burning of incense.

11. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12. And when he saw the angel, Zacharias was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13. But the angel said to him, “Fear not, Zacharias, because your supplication has been heard; and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son to you, and you shall call his name John.

14. And he shall be a joy and exultation to you; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15. For he shall be great before the Lord. And he shall never drink wine or strong drink in any form, but he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.

16. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (A Faithful Version)

5. 猶大王希律年間，亞比雅名下的輪班祭司當中，有位名撒迦利亞。他妻子是亞倫的後代，名叫伊莉莎白。

6. 夫婦二人在神面前都被稱為義，是因為依足一切誡命典章，沒有可指摘。

7. 可惜沒有孩子，只因伊莉莎白未能生育，如今到了老邁之年。

8. 有日，當他按班次履行這祭司職份時，

9. 依規矩，進殿事奉，要先行抽籤決定當日的職務，當日抽到負責燒香事宜。

10. 每日上香的時間是有規定，此時在外殿己經有許多人在禱告。

11. 有主的一位使者出現香壇的右邊，就在撒迦利亞面前。

12. 撒迦利亞看見這位天使，有點手足無措表現。

13. 使者笑著對他說：撒迦利亞，不要怕，你所祈求的，聽到了。你妻子以利沙伯會為你生一個兒子，要給這孩子起名叫約翰。

14. 你這兒子能使你滿心歡喜快樂，也因為他，有許多人也因他能滿心喜樂。

15. 你這兒子在主面前將要為大。為此，淡酒濃酒都不能喝，因為在母腹中，早被聖靈充滿。

16. 他要讓屬以色列的子孫回轉，重新歸回主，他們的神。

17. 在神面前，你兒子有以利亞那份心志和和能力，能使父的心轉向屬祂的兒女，也能為主預備這些從前不服從的，卻能成為公義智慧的民族。

這位約翰是因為耶穌將要到來，作預告。

這位約翰的父親是祭司身份，這身份就擁有代贖的功能，跟耶穌的代贖是一脈相承。更為奇妙的是約翰也是獨生，一生也以傳揚基督而存在。這種獨特之處，也許有更深的含義可以引申。約翰的父母按記載是過了生育之年，是老來生子，從應許而來。

約翰有個使命，是作為耶穌的先鋒，為的是要以色列人歸回。今日的信眾也有同樣的使命，作為耶穌的先鋒完成神的差派。

為何要以色列人歸回？v. 17說期望從不服從轉為公義智慧兼備的民族。這民族就是今日的以色列，是雅各之後，相信神更想運用自己的自由，有自制也不會甘於受制。

路加同時暗示了一個重要的觀念，就是神的作為，會因為人的作為而改變。因為人放縱自己，也許更確切是看看自己的能力有多大又能行多遠，如雅各的想法。華人信眾不習慣也許沒有想過，人有的自由，是不受人定的律法限制。最好的例子就是今是的中共，利用法而不去守法這種情況，就明白保羅說的守守法與不守法之間的取捨原則。信神的人有這種自由，是因為跟隨的，是神不是人間法。人既只為自己，這種為己是沒有神同在，不同雅各，神就為這類別的人，改變了方式，為了讓人有機會去改變而能自救。