Bible in Basic English
Now it was time for Elisabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
And it came to the ears of her neighbours and relations that the Lord had been very good to her, and they took part in her joy.
And on the eighth day they came to see to the circumcision of the child, and they would have given him the name of Zacharias, his father's name;
But his mother made answer and said, No, his name is John.
And they said, Not one of your relations has that name.
And they made signs to his father, to say what name was to be given to him.
And he sent for writing materials and put down: His name is John; and they were all surprised.
And straight away his mouth was open and his tongue was free and he gave praise to God.
And fear came on all those who were living round about them: and there was much talk about all these things in all the hill-country of Judaea.
And all who had word of them kept them in their minds and said, What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and made them free,
Lifting up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
(As he said, by the mouth of his holy prophets, from the earliest times,)
Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us;
To do acts of mercy to our fathers and to keep in mind his holy word,
The oath which he made to Abraham, our father,
That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship,
In righteousness and holy living before him all our days.
And you, child, will be named the prophet of the Most High: you will go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins,
Because of the loving mercies of our God, by which the dawn from heaven has come to us,
To give light to those in dark places, and in the shade of death, so that our feet may be guided into the way of peace.
And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.
— Luke 1:57-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her. It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father. His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John." They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." They made signs to his father, what he would have him called. He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." They all marveled. His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him. His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people; and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father, to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace." The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.”
“Now Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come: and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her: and they congratulated with her. And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child: and they called him by his father's name Zachary. And his mother answering, said: Not so. But he shall be called John. And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed: and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came upon all their neighbours: and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea. And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What an one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost. And he prophesied, saying: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people. And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant. As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning. Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy testament. The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us. That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear: In holiness and justice before him, all our days. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt, go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways: To give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins. Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us: To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit: and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel. ”
His help he has given to Israel, his servant, so that he might keep in mind his mercy to Abraham and his seed for ever,
As he gave his word to our fathers.
And Mary was with her for about three months and then went back to her house.
Now it was time for Elisabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
And it came to the ears of her neighbours and relations that the Lord had been very good to her, and they took part in her joy.
And on the eighth day they came to see to the circumcision of the child, and they would have given him the name of Zacharias, his father's name;
But his mother made answer and said, No, his name is John.
And they said, Not one of your relations has that name.
And they made signs to his father, to say what name was to be given to him.
And he sent for writing materials and put down: His name is John; and they were all surprised.
And straight away his mouth was open and his tongue was free and he gave praise to God.
And fear came on all those who were living round about them: and there was much talk about all these things in all the hill-country of Judaea.
And all who had word of them kept them in their minds and said, What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and made them free,
Lifting up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
(As he said, by the mouth of his holy prophets, from the earliest times,)
Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us;
To do acts of mercy to our fathers and to keep in mind his holy word,
The oath which he made to Abraham, our father,
That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship,
In righteousness and holy living before him all our days.
And you, child, will be named the prophet of the Most High: you will go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins,
Because of the loving mercies of our God, by which the dawn from heaven has come to us,
To give light to those in dark places, and in the shade of death, so that our feet may be guided into the way of peace.
And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.