God’s Word Translation
Luke 1:59
59When the child was eight days old, they went ⌞to the temple⌟ to circumcise him. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father.
Luke 1:59 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
- New International Version (NIV)On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
- English Standard Version (ESV)And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,
- New King James Version (NKJV)So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
Context of Luke 1:59
57When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her, and they shared her joy. When the child was eight days old, they went ⌞to the temple⌟ to circumcise him. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60But his mother spoke up, “Absolutely not! His name will be John.” 61Their friends said to her, “But you don’t have any relatives with that name.”
Read all of Luke 1Luke 1:59 word by word
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἦλθον περιτεμεῖν τὸ παιδίον καὶ ἐκάλουν αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ζαχαρίαν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- it came to pass, thatγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- onἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the eighthὄγδοοςogdoos · eighthG3590
- dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- they cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- to circumciseπεριτέμνωperitemnō · to circumciseG4059
- the childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
- they calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- ZachariasΖαχαρίαςZacharias · ZechariahG2197
- afterἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
- ofπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
Cross-references for Luke 1:59
- Luke 2:21Eight days after his birth, the child was circumcised and named Jesus. This was the name the angel had given him before his mother became pregnant.
- Genesis 17:12For generations to come every male child who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether he is born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner who’s not related to you.
- Genesis 21:3Abraham named his newborn son Isaac.
- Leviticus 12:3The boy must be circumcised when he is eight days old.
- Acts 7:8“God gave Abraham circumcision to confirm his promise. So when Abraham’s son Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac did the same to his son Jacob, and Jacob did the same to his twelve sons (the ancestors of our tribes).
- Philippians 3:5I was circumcised on the eighth day. I’m a descendant of Israel. I’m from the tribe of Benjamin. I’m a pure-blooded Hebrew. When it comes to following Jewish laws, I was a Pharisee.
Commentaries on Luke 1:59
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 59On the eighth day they came to circumcise - See an account of this institution in the note on Genesis 17:10-14; (note). Had circumcision been essential to an infant's salvation, God would not have ordered it to be delayed to the eighth day, because, in all countries, multitudes die before they arrive at that age. Baptism, which is generally allowed to have been substituted for circumcision, is no more necessary to the salvation of an infant than…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 59On the eighth day - This was the day on which it was required to circumcise children, Genesis 21:4. And they called him Zacharias - The name of the child was commonly given at the time of the circumcision, Genesis 21:3-4. The name “commonly” given to the eldest son was that of the father.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 57-66Verses 57-66 In these verses we have an account of the birth of John the Baptist, and the great joy among all the relations of the family. He shall be called Johanan, or "Gracious," because he shall bring in the gospel of Christ, wherein God's grace shines most bright. Zacharias recovered his speech. Unbelief closed his mouth, and believing opened it again: he believers, therefore he speaks. When God opens our lips, our mouths must show forth his praise…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 59God commanded every Israelite to circumcise their boys when eight days old (Genesis 17:9–14; Leviticus 12:3). Circumcision marked the child's entry into Israel's covenant community. they were going to name him after his father Zechariah: Naming a child after a relative was common. The family and friends were surprised because John was not the name of any of his relatives.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 57-8059. eighth day--The law (Ge 17:12) was observed, even though the eighth day after birth should be a sabbath (Joh 7:23; and see Php 3:5). called him--literally, "were calling"--that is, (as we should say) "were for calling." The naming of children at baptism has its origin in the Jewish custom at circumcision (Ge 21:3, 4); and the names of Abram and Sarai were changed at its first performance (Ge 17:5, 15).Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 1:59
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries