Luke 1:18

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

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

WEB World English Bible

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 American Standard Version

And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

And Zacharias said unto the messenger, ‘Whereby shall I know this? for I am aged, and my wife is advanced in her days?’

Surrounding context — Luke 1

15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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.

18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

19 And 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.

20 And, 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.

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

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Cross-references

Genesis 18:12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?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?Isaiah 38:22Hezekiah also had said, What [is] the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?Luke 1:7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were [now] well stricken in years.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 Sara’s womb:Luke 1:34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?2 Kings 7:2Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, [if] the LORD 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.Judges 6:36-40And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,Genesis 15:8And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?Numbers 11:21-23And 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.

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

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CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING

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