Luke 1:18

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 King James Version (NKJV)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.”

Context of Luke 1:18

16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17And he shall 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 unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

Luke 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

• ·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 said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
• Genesis 15:8And he said, Lord Yhwh, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
• Genesis 17:17Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
• Genesis 18:12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
• Judges 6:36And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
• Isaiah 38:22Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of Yhwh?
• Luke 1:7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
• Numbers 11:21And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
• 2 Kings 7:2Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if Yhwh would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
• Romans 4:19And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet 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

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Barrenness
• Elisabeth (Elizabeth)
• Gabriel
• John
• Joy
• Miracles
• Sign
• Temple
• Vision
• Zacharias (Zechariah)

In the dictionaries

• Old Man
• Begin
• Certainty
• Conceive
• Estate
• Ministration
• Noise
• Righteousness
• Salutation
• Sign

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