English Standard Version
Luke 1:7
7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Luke 1:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
- New International Version (NIV)But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
- New Living Translation (NLT)They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
Context of Luke 1:7
5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 8Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Read all of Luke 1Luke 1:7 word by word
καὶ οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς τέκνον, καθότι ἦν ἡ Ἐλισάβετ στεῖρα καὶ ἀμφότεροι προβεβηκότες ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῶν ἦσαν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- hadεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- noοὐou · noG3756
- childτέκνονteknon · childG5043
- because thatκαθότιkathoti · as/just asG2530
- ElisabethἘλισάβετElisabet · ElizabethG1665
- barrenστεῖραsteiros · barrenG4723
- bothἀμφότεροςamphoteros · bothG297
- well strickenπροβαίνωprobainō · to advanceG4260
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- yearsἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
Cross-references for Luke 1:7
- Genesis 15:2But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"
- Genesis 16:1Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar.
- Genesis 25:21And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
- Genesis 30:1When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!"
- Judges 13:2There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children.
- 1 Samuel 1:2He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
- Genesis 17:17Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, "Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?"
- Genesis 18:11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.
- 1 Kings 1:1Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm.
- 2 Kings 4:14And he said, "What then is to be done for her?" Gehazi answered, "Well, she has no son, and her husband is old."
- Romans 4:19He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
- Hebrews 11:11By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
Commentaries on Luke 1:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Both were now well stricken in years - By the order of God, sterility and old age both met in the person of Elisabeth, to render the birth of a son (humanly speaking) impossible. This was an exact parallel to the case of Sarah and Abraham, Genesis 11:30; Genesis 17:17. Christ must (by the miraculous power of God) be born of a virgin: whatever was connected with, or referred to, his incarnation must be miraculous and impressive. Isaac was his grand type…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Well stricken in years - Old or advanced in life, so as to render the prospect of having children hopeless.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. 7Elizabeth was barren: Giving birth to children was a woman's greatest role in this culture. Being unable to have children made women feel ashamed. God miraculously intervened in the lives of various Old Testament women so they could have children (Genesis 18:10–12; 25:21; 30:22–23; Judges 13; 1 Samuel 1:1–28).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. So with Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Elkanah and Hannah, Manoah and his wife.Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 1:7
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
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