Þa magas setton ðam cilde naman, Zacharias, ac seo modor him wiðcwæð mid wordum, and se dumba fæder mid gewrite; forðan ðe se engel, ðe hine cydde toweardne, him gesceop naman be Godes dihte, IOHANNES. Ne mihte se dumba fæder cyðan his wife hu se engel his cilde naman gesette, ac, ðurh Godes Gastes onwrigenysse, se nama hire wearð cuð. Zacharias is gereht, 'Gemindig Godes;' and Iohannes, 'Godes gifu;' forðan ðe he bodade mannum Godes gife, and Crist toweardne, þe ealne middangeard mid his gife gewissað. He wæs asend toforan Drihtne, swa swa se dægsteorra gæð beforan ðære sunnan, swa swa bydel ætforan deman, swa swa seo Ealde Gecyðnys ætforan ðære Niwan; {356} forðan ðe seo ealde ǽ wæs swilce sceadu, and seo Niwe Gecyðnys is soðfæstnys ðurh ðæs Hælendes gife. Anes geares cild hí wæron, Crist and Iohannes. On ðisum dæge acende seo unwæstmbære moder ðone mæran witegan Iohannem, se is gehérod mid þisum wordum, ðurh Cristes muð, "Betwux wifa bearnum ne arás nan mærra man ðonne is Iohannes se Fulluhtere." On middes wintres mæsse-dæge acende þæt halige mæden Maria þone Heofenlican Æðeling, se nis geteald to wifa bearnum, forðon ðe he is Godes Sunu on ðære Godcundnysse, and Godes and mædenes Bearn ðurh menniscnysse. Iohannes forfleah folces neawiste on geogoðe, and on westene mid stiðre drohtnunge synna forbeah. Se Hælend betwux synfullum unwemme fram ælcere synne ðurhwunode. Se bydel gebigde on ðam timan micelne heap Israhela ðeode to heora Scyppende mid his bodunge. Drihten dæghwamlice of eallum ðeodum to his geleafan, ðurh onlihtinge ðæs Halgan Gastes, ungerim sawla gebigð. Þæt halige godspel cwyð be ðam Fulluhtere, þæt he forestope ðam Hælende on gaste and on mihte þæs witegan Helian; forðan ðe he wæs his forrynel æt ðam ærran to-cyme, swa swa Helias bið æt ðam æftran togeanes Antecriste. Nis butan getacnunge þæt ðæs bydeles acennednys on ðære tide wæs gefremod ðe se woruldlica dæg wanigende bið, and on Drihtnes gebyrd-tide weaxende bið. Þas getacnunge onwreah se ylca Iohannes mid ðisum wordum, "Criste gedafenað þæt he weaxe, and me þæt ic wanigende beo." Iohannes wæs hraðor mannum cuð þurh his mærlican drohtnunga, þonne Crist wære, forðan ðe hé ne æteowde his godcundan mihte, ærðam ðe hé wæs ðritig geara on ðære menniscnysse. Þa wæs he geðuht ðam folce þæt hé witega wære, and Iohannes Crist. Hwæt ða Crist geswutelode hine sylfne ðurh miccle tacna, and his hlisa weox geond ealne middangeard, þæt he soð God wæs, seðe wæs ærðan witega geðuht. Iohannes soðlice wæs wanigende on his hlisan, forðan ðe he {358} wearð oncnawen witega, and bydel ðæs Heofonlican Æðelinges, seðe wæs lytle ær Crist geteald mid ungewissum wenan. Þas wanunge getacnað se wanigenda dæg his gebyrd-tide, and se ðeonda dæg ðæs Hælendes acennednysse gebícnað his ðeondan mihte æfter ðære menniscnysse.