Luke 1:8

Luke 1:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
• New International Version (NIV)Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
• New King James Version (NKJV)So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

Context of Luke 1:8

6They were both righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. 7But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old. Now while Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the holy place of the Lord and burn incense. 10Now the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.

Luke 1:8 word by word

Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἱερατεύειν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ τάξει τῆς ἐφημερίας αὐτοῦ ἔναντι τοῦ θεοῦ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• it came to passγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• that whileἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• executed the priest’s officeἱερατεύωhierateuō · to serve as priestG2407
• beforeἔναντιenanti · beforeG1725
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• the orderτάξιςtaxis · orderG5010
• courseἐφημερίαephēmeria · divisionG2183

Cross-references for Luke 1:8

• Exodus 28:1“And you, bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons with him from among the Israelites, so that they may minister as my priests – Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
• Exodus 29:1“Now this is what you are to do for them to consecrate them so that they may minister as my priests. Take a young bull and two rams without blemish;
• Exodus 30:30“You are to anoint Aaron and his sons and sanctify them, so that they may minister as my priests.
• Numbers 18:7But you and your sons with you are responsible for your priestly duties, for everything at the altar and within the curtain. And you must serve. I give you the priesthood as a gift for service; but the unauthorized person who approaches must be put to death.”
• 1 Chronicles 24:2Nadab and Abihu died before their father did; they had no sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
• 2 Chronicles 11:14The Levites even left their pasturelands and their property behind and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons prohibited them from serving as the Lord’s priests.
• Luke 1:5During the reign of Herod king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and he had a wife named Elizabeth, who was a descendant of Aaron.
• 1 Chronicles 24:19This was the order in which they carried out their assigned responsibilities when they entered the Lord’s temple, according to the regulations given them by their ancestor Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had instructed him.
• 2 Chronicles 8:14As his father David had decreed, Solomon appointed the divisions of the priests to do their assigned tasks, the Levitical orders to lead worship and help the priests with their daily tasks, and the divisions of the gatekeepers to serve at their assigned gates. This was what David the man of God had ordered.
• 2 Chronicles 31:2Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and Levites to do their assigned tasks – to offer burnt sacrifices and present offerings and to serve, give thanks, and offer praise in the gates of the Lord’s sanctuary.
• Ezra 6:18They appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their divisions over the worship of God at Jerusalem, in accord with the book of Moses.

Commentaries on Luke 1:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Before God - In the temple, where God used to manifest his presence, though long before this time he had forsaken it; yet, on this important occasion, the angel of his presence had visited it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Before God - In the temple, where God dwelt by the symbols of His presence. The temple was regarded by the Jews as the “house” or dwelling of God; and in the “first” temple there was, in the most holy place, a “cloud” called the Shechinah, or a visible sign of the presence of God. It was thus “before God” that Zechariah offered incense.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. 8-9Zechariah's division was on duty … he was chosen by lot: It was common in Old Testament times to cast lots (similar to throwing dice) to determine God’s will (1 Chronicles 26:13–16; Nehemiah 11:1; Proverbs 16:33; Jonah 1:7). There were 24 orders of priests that took turns serving in the temple (1 Chronicles 24:1–19). They cast lots to choose which priest would serve in the sanctuary of the temple. There were many priests, so this honor might come only…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-255. Herod--(See on Mt 2:1). course of Abia--or Abijah; the eighth of the twenty-four orders of courses into which David divided the priests (see 1Ch 24:1, 4, 10). Of these courses only four returned after the captivity (Ezr 2:34-39), which were again subdivided into twenty-four--retaining the ancient name and order of each. They took the whole temple service for a week each. his wife was of the daughters of Aaron--The priests might marry into any tribe…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 1:8

• Barrenness
• Elisabeth (Elizabeth)
• Joy
• Priest
• Temple
• Zacharias (Zechariah)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Begin
• Certainty
• Conceive
• Estate
• Hail!
• Ministration
• Noise
• Righteousness

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