EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Luke 1:18
18Zechariah asked the angel, ‘How can I be sure about this? You know that I am an old man. My wife is also old.’
Luke 1:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
- New International Version (NIV)Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
Context of Luke 1:18
16He will teach many people in Israel. Then they will turn their lives back to the Lord their God and they will obey God again. 17John will prepare the people for the Lord to come to them. The Holy Spirit will lead John as he led Elijah. John will do powerful things as Elijah did. He will help fathers to love their children. He will teach people who do not obey God. Then they will know what things are right. And they will do them. Then they will be ready when the Lord comes.’ Zechariah asked the angel, ‘How can I be sure about this? You know that I am an old man. My wife is also old.’ 19The angel answered, ‘I am called Gabriel. My place is to stand in front of God. I am always ready to work for God. He has sent me to speak to you. He told me that I should tell you this good news. 20Now listen to me. Because you did not believe my message, you will not be able to speak. You will not speak again until the time that your son is born. My message will really become true at the right time.’
Read all of Luke 1Luke 1:18 word by word
Καὶ εἶπεν Ζαχαρίας πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον· κατὰ τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο; ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι πρεσβύτης, καὶ ἡ γυνή μου προβεβηκυῖα ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῆς.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·αὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- ·τίςtis · which?G5101
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- ZachariasΖαχαρίαςZacharias · ZechariahG2197
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- the angelὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- Wherebyκατάkata · according toG2596
- shall I knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- an old manπρεσβύτηςpresbutēs · old manG4246
- wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
- well strickenπροβαίνωprobainō · to advanceG4260
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- yearsἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
Cross-references for Luke 1:18
- Luke 1:34Mary asked, ‘How can this happen? I have never had sex with anyone.’
- Genesis 15:8But Abram said, ‘Almighty Lord, how can I be sure that this land will belong to me?’
- Genesis 17:17Abraham fell down so that his face touched the ground. He laughed and he said to himself, ‘I am now 100 years old. That is too old to have a son. Sarah is 90 years old, so she could never give birth to a child. That is too old to have a child.’
- Genesis 18:12So Sarah laughed to herself. She thought, ‘I have become old and weak. My husband is also old. I will never have a baby and be happy like that.’
- Judges 6:36Gideon said to God, ‘I want to know that you will do what you have promised to me. If you will really use me to rescue Israel, please show me that it is true.
- Isaiah 38:22Hezekiah had asked, ‘What will show me that I will be able to go up to the Lord's temple?’
- Luke 1:7But they had no children. Elizabeth could not give birth and they were both getting old.
- Numbers 11:21Moses said to the Lord, ‘There are 600,000 men here. But you have said, “I will give to them meat to eat for a whole month.”
- 2 Kings 7:2The special officer who was near to the king said to the man of God, ‘That will never happen! Even if the Lord opens the skies and sends us rain, it could not happen so soon.’ Elisha said, ‘You yourself will see this happen, but you will not eat any of the food!’
- Romans 4:19Abraham was about 100 years old. His body was already so old that it was nearly dead. His wife, Sarah, was unable to have children. Abraham understood all that, but he did not stop trusting God.
Commentaries on Luke 1:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Whereby shall I know this? - All things are possible to God: no natural impediment can have any power when God has declared he will accomplish his purpose. He has a right to be believed on his own word alone; and it is impious, when we are convinced that it is his word, to demand a sign or pledge for its fulfillment.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Whereby shall I know this? - The thing was improbable, and he desired “evidence” that it would take place. The testimony of an “angel,” and in such a place, should have been proof enough; but people are slow to believe the testimony of heavenly messengers. As a consequence of not believing, he was struck mute.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
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Whereby, &c.--Mary believed what was far harder without a sign. Abraham, though older, and doubtless Sarah, too, when the same promise was made to him, "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God." This was that in which Zacharias failed.Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 1:18
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
EasyEnglish Bible 2018 — Copyright © MissionAssist 2018
Commentaries