Das Leben Jesu
The Birth of John the Baptist
Elizabeth gives birth to a son in her old age. When the child is to be circumcised on the eighth day, Elizabeth insists on the name John, and Zechariah confirms this by writing it on a tablet. Immediately he regains his speech and praises God in a prophetic hymn about the child's calling as prophet of the Most High.
Lukas 1,57-80
57When the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, she bore a son.
Τῇ δὲ Ἐλισάβετ ἐπλήσθη ὁ χρόνος τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτήν, καὶ ἐγέννησεν υἱόν.
58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ περίοικοι καὶ οἱ συγγενεῖς αὐτῆς ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνεν κύριος τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτῆς, καὶ συνέχαιρον αὐτῇ.
59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ⸂ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ⸃ ἦλθον περιτεμεῖν τὸ παιδίον, καὶ ἐκάλουν αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ζαχαρίαν.
60But his mother spoke up: "No! He is to be called John."
καὶ ἀποκριθεῖσα ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ εἶπεν· Οὐχί, ἀλλὰ κληθήσεται Ἰωάννης.
61They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτὴν ὅτι Οὐδείς ἐστιν ⸂ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας⸃ σου ὃς καλεῖται τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ.
62Then they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name him.
ἐνένευον δὲ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ τὸ τί ἂν θέλοι καλεῖσθαι ⸀αὐτό.
63He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And everyone was amazed.
καὶ αἰτήσας πινακίδιον ἔγραψεν λέγων· Ἰωάννης ⸀ἐστὶν ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐθαύμασαν πάντες.
64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
ἀνεῴχθη δὲ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ παραχρῆμα καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάλει εὐλογῶν τὸν θεόν.
65Awe came over all their neighbors, and throughout the hill country of Judea people talked about all these things.
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ πάντας φόβος τοὺς περιοικοῦντας αὐτούς, καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ὀρεινῇ τῆς Ἰουδαίας διελαλεῖτο πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα,
66Everyone who heard it took it to heart and asked, "What then will this child become?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.
καὶ ἔθεντο πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν, λέγοντες· Τί ἄρα τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο ἔσται; καὶ ⸀γὰρ χεὶρ κυρίου ἦν μετʼ αὐτοῦ.
67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
Καὶ Ζαχαρίας ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐπλήσθη πνεύματος ἁγίου καὶ ⸀ἐπροφήτευσεν λέγων·
68"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited his people and brought them redemption.
Εὐλογητὸς κύριος ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ὅτι ἐπεσκέψατο καὶ ἐποίησεν λύτρωσιν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ,
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
καὶ ἤγειρεν κέρας σωτηρίας ἡμῖν ⸀ἐν οἴκῳ ⸀Δαυὶδ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ,
70as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago —
καθὼς ἐλάλησεν διὰ στόματος τῶν ⸀ἁγίων ἀπʼ αἰῶνος προφητῶν αὐτοῦ,
71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
σωτηρίαν ἐξ ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν μισούντων ἡμᾶς,
72to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
ποιῆσαι ἔλεος μετὰ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν καὶ μνησθῆναι διαθήκης ἁγίας αὐτοῦ,
73the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
ὅρκον ὃν ὤμοσεν πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ τὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν, τοῦ δοῦναι ἡμῖν
74to grant us that we, rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,
ἀφόβως ἐκ χειρὸς ⸀ἐχθρῶν ῥυσθέντας λατρεύειν αὐτῷ
75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
ἐν ὁσιότητι καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ⸂πάσαις ταῖς ἡμέραις⸃ ἡμῶν.
76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go on ahead of the Lord to prepare his ways,
καὶ σὺ ⸀δέ, παιδίον, προφήτης Ὑψίστου κληθήσῃ, προπορεύσῃ γὰρ ⸀ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἑτοιμάσαι ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ,
77to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
τοῦ δοῦναι γνῶσιν σωτηρίας τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀφέσει ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν,
78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους θεοῦ ἡμῶν, ἐν οἷς ⸀ἐπισκέψεται ἡμᾶς ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους,
79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
ἐπιφᾶναι τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις, τοῦ κατευθῦναι τοὺς πόδας ἡμῶν εἰς ὁδὸν εἰρήνης.
80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; he lived in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.
Τὸ δὲ παιδίον ηὔξανε καὶ ἐκραταιοῦτο πνεύματι, καὶ ἦν ἐν ταῖς ἐρήμοις ἕως ἡμέρας ἀναδείξεως αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν Ἰσραήλ.