King James Bible
"But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John."
The angel addresses Zacharias' terror at seeing a divine messenger in the temple's holy place. This common biblical reassurance acknowledges the overwhelming nature of angelic encounters while preparing the priest to receive extraordinary news. God has answered Zacharias' long-standing petition for a child, though the couple is now elderly and Elisabeth barren. The passive voice emphasizes divine initiative—God has been listening even when hope seemed lost. The angel announces a miraculous pregnancy that parallels Old Testament births to barren women like Sarah and Hannah. This divine intervention signals that the coming child will play a crucial role in God's redemptive plan. The name John means 'God is gracious,' and its divine prescription indicates the child's destiny is already determined. In Hebrew culture, naming by divine command marked individuals chosen for special purposes in salvation history.