New King James Version
Luke 1:18
18And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
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 Living Translation (NLT)Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”
Context of Luke 1:18
16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 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.” 19And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own 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 1:34Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
- Genesis 15:8And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”
- Genesis 17:17Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
- Genesis 18:12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
- Judges 6:36So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said—
- Isaiah 38:22And Hezekiah had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?”
- Luke 1:7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
- Numbers 11:21And Moses said, “The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’
- 2 Kings 7:2So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”
- Romans 4:19And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries