Luke 1:7
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a daughter of Aaron.
6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
8 One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
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
- But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
- KJV
- And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
- WEB
- But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
- ASV
- And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were [now] well stricken in years.
- DARBY
- And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
- BLB
- And unto them was no child, as Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in their days.
- ÅB
- Og de hadde ikke barn; for Elisabet var ufruktbar, og de var begge kommet langt ut i årene.
- OTB
- Men de var barnløse, fordi Elisabet ikke kunne få barn, og de var begge langt oppe i årene.
- B1930
- Og de hadde ikke barn; for Elisabet var ufruktbar, og de var begge kommet langt ut i årene.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Hebrews 11:11
By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.
Read in contextGenesis 18:11
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
Read in contextGenesis 25:21
Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
Read in context1 Samuel 1:2
He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
Read in contextGenesis 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 context2 Kings 4:14
So he asked, “Then what should be done for her?” “Well, she has no son,” Gehazi replied, “and her husband is old.”
Read in contextJudges 13:2–3
Now there was a man from Zorah named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, whose wife was barren and had no children.
Read in contextGenesis 16:1–2
Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.
Read in context