New International Version
Luke 1:7
7But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
- 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 time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. 8Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into 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, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”
- Genesis 16:1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar;
- Genesis 25:21Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.
- Genesis 30:1When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
- Judges 13:2A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth.
- 1 Samuel 1:2He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
- Genesis 17:17Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
- Genesis 18:11Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
- 1 Kings 1:1When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him.
- 2 Kings 4:14“What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.”
- Romans 4:19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
- Hebrews 11:11And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.
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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries