Amplified Bible
Luke 1:17
17It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.”
Luke 1:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)and he will 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 just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."
- New King James Version (NKJV)He will also 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 just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Context of Luke 1:17
15for he will be great and distinguished in the sight of the Lord; and will never drink wine or liquor, and he will be filled with and empowered to act by the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. 16He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God. It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.” 18And Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I be certain of this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in age.” 19The angel replied and said to him, “I am Gabriel; I stand and minister in the [very] presence of God, and I have been sent [by Him] to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
Read all of Luke 1Luke 1:17 word by word
καὶ αὐτὸς προελεύσεται ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ δυνάμει Ἠλίου ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα καὶ ἀπειθεῖς ἐν φρονήσει δικαίων, ἑτοιμάσαι κυρίῳ λαὸν κατεσκευασμένον.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- shall goπροέρχομαιproerchomai · to go beforeG4281
- beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
- of EliasἩλίαςHēlias · ElijahG2243
- to turnἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
- the heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
- of the fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- toἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
- the disobedientἀπειθήςapeithēs · disobedientG545
- the wisdomφρόνησιςphronēsis · understandingG5428
- of the justδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
- to make readyἑτοιμάζωhetoimazō · to make readyG2090
- a peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
- preparedκατασκευάζωkataskeuazō · to prepareG2680
- for the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
Cross-references for Luke 1:17
- Luke 1:16He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God.
- John 1:13who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].
- John 3:28You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, ‘I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ but, ‘I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].’
- Malachi 4:5“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.
- Matthew 11:14And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is [the fulfillment of] Elijah [as the messenger] who was to come [before the kingdom].
- Matthew 17:11He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things;
- Mark 9:11They asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first [before the Messiah comes]?”
- John 1:21They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the [promised] Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
- Revelation 20:4And then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom judgment [that is, the authority to act as judges] was given. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had refused to worship the beast or his image, and had not accepted his mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
- 1 Kings 17:1Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”
- 1 Kings 18:18Elijah said, “I have not brought disaster on Israel, but you and your father’s household have, by abandoning (rejecting) the commandments of the Lord and by following the Baals.
- 1 Kings 21:20Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord.
- 2 Kings 1:4Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You [Ahaziah] will not leave the bed on which you lie, but you will certainly die.’ ” So Elijah departed.
- Matthew 3:4Now this same John had clothing made of camel’s hair and a [wide] leather band around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
- Matthew 14:4for John had said to him, “It is not lawful (morally right) for you to have her [living with you as your wife].”
- Luke 3:7So he began saying to the crowds who were coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath [of God that is] to come?
Commentaries on Luke 1:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17He shall go before him - Jesus Christ, in the spirit and power of Elijah; he shall resemble Elijah in his retired and austere manner of life, and in his zeal for the truth, reproving even princes for their crimes; compare 1 Kings 21:17-24, with Matthew 14:4. It was on these accounts that the Prophet Malachi, Malachi 4:6, had likened John to this prophet. See also Isaiah 40:3; and Malachi 4:5, Malachi 4:6. To turn the hearts of the fathers - Gross…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Shall go before him - Before the Messiah. The connection here leads us to suppose that the word “him” refers to the “Lord their God” in the previous verse. If so, then it will follow that the Messiah was the Lord God of Israel - a character abundantly given him in other parts of the New Testament. In the spirit and power of Elias - See the notes at Matthew 11:14. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children - In the time of John the Jews were divided…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-25Verses 5-25 The father and mother of John the Baptist were sinners as all are, and were justified and saved in the same way as others; but they were eminent for piety and integrity. They had no children, and it could not be expected that Elisabeth should have any in her old age. While Zacharias was burning incense in the temple, the whole multitude of the people were praying without. All the prayers we offer up to God, are acceptable and successful only…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah: The prophet Malachi prophesied that God would send Elijah before the time of God's salvation (see Malachi 3:1; 4:5–6). John the Baptist filled this role by preparing the way for the Lord's coming.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1716-17. A religious and moral reformer, Elijah-like, he should be (Mal 4:6, where the "turning of the people's heart to the Lord" is borrowed from 1Ki 18:37). In both cases their success, though great, was partial--the nation was not gained.Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 1:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Amplified Bible — © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
Commentaries