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Luke 1:18

Zacharias
Doubt

16 Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.

17 And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”

19 “I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

20 And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
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.
WEB
Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
ASV
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
DARBY
And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this, for *I* am an old man, and my wife advanced in years?
BLB
And Zechariah said to the angel, “By what will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days.”
ÅB
Og Sakarias sa til engelen: Hvorav skal jeg vite dette? Jeg er jo en gammel mann, og min hustru er langt ute i årene.
OTB
Sakarja sa til engelen: “Hvordan kan jeg være sikker på dette? For jeg er en gammel mann, og min kone er langt oppe i årene.”
B1930
Og Sakarias sa til engelen: Hvorav skal jeg vite dette? Jeg er jo en gammel mann, og min hustru er langt ute i årene.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Genesis 17:17

    Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”

    Read in context

  • Genesis 18:12

    So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 38:22

    And Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?”

    Read in context

  • Luke 1:7

    But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.

    Read in context

  • Luke 1:34

    “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

    Read in context

  • 2 Kings 7:2

    But the officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” replied Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it.”

    Read in context

  • Romans 4:19

    Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.

    Read in context

  • Judges 6:36–40

    Then Gideon said to God, “If You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said,

    Read in context