LUK 1:5-25

Gabriel Foretells Johnʼs Birth

5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest by the name of Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, and his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. [1:6] And they were both righteous before God, living in accordance with all the commandments and ordinances — the proper duties — of the Lord, blameless. [1:7] And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days. [1:8] And it happened that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, [1:9] according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. [1:10] And all the multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. [1:11] And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. [1:12] And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. [1:13] But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John. [1:14] And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. [1:15] For he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or any fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. [1:16] And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God, [1:17] and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready for the Lord a prepared people." [1:18] And Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days." [1:19] And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, the one who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. [1:20] And look — you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time." [1:21] And the people were waiting for Zechariah and were wondering at his delay in the sanctuary. [1:22] And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they understood that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. And he was making signs to them and remained mute. [1:23] And it happened that when the days of his priestly service were completed, he went back to his home. [1:24] And after these days Elizabeth his wife conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, [1:25] "This is what the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my disgrace among people."

In the world it was spoken into

In the days of Herod the Great, Judea was under Roman rule, and the Jewish priesthood was a central institution in maintaining religious and social order. Zechariah, a priest of the division of Abijah, belonged to one of the 24 priestly courses that rotated temple duties. His lineage traced back to Aaron, the first high priest, marking him as part of the priestly elite. Elizabeth, also of Aaron’s lineage, shared this esteemed heritage. Their childlessness, however, would have been a source of profound shame in a culture that valued progeny as a sign of divine favor and a means of preserving family honor. The term (dikaios) underscores their adherence to Torah and temple purity codes, while (dikaiōma) highlights their fulfillment of divine requirements. The angel’s announcement of John’s birth, coupled with the prohibition of (sikera), aligns with Nazirite practices, signaling John’s consecration for a prophetic role. This narrative reflects the tension between societal shame (, oneidos) and divine intervention in reversing barrenness, a recurring motif in Israel’s history.

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How other translations render this

LUK 1:5

KJV: THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
BSB: 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 descendant of Aaron.
Koinōnos: In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest by the name of Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, and his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

LUK 1:6

KJV: And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
BSB: Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
Koinōnos: And they were both righteous before God, living in accordance with all the commandments and ordinances — the proper duties — of the Lord, blameless.

LUK 1:7

KJV: And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
BSB: But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
Koinōnos: And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days.

LUK 1:8

KJV: And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
BSB: One day while Zechariahʼs division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
Koinōnos: And it happened that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

LUK 1:9

KJV: According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
BSB: he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Koinōnos: according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.

LUK 1:10

KJV: And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
BSB: And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
Koinōnos: And all the multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

LUK 1:11

KJV: And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
BSB: Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
Koinōnos: And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

LUK 1:12

KJV: And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
BSB: When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
Koinōnos: And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

LUK 1:13

KJV: But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
BSB: But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
Koinōnos: But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John.

LUK 1:14

KJV: And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
BSB: He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
Koinōnos: And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

LUK 1:15

KJV: 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.
BSB: for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his motherʼs womb.
Koinōnos: For he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or any fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb.

LUK 1:16

KJV: And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
BSB: Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
Koinōnos: And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God,

LUK 1:17

KJV: 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.
BSB: 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.”
Koinōnos: and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.

LUK 1:18

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.
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.”
Koinōnos: And Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days.

LUK 1:19

KJV: 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.
BSB: “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.
Koinōnos: And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, the one who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

LUK 1:20

KJV: 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.
BSB: 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.”
Koinōnos: And look — you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.

LUK 1:21

KJV: And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
BSB: Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
Koinōnos: And the people were waiting for Zechariah and were wondering at his delay in the sanctuary.

LUK 1:22

KJV: And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
BSB: When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
Koinōnos: And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they understood that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. And he was making signs to them and remained mute.

LUK 1:23

KJV: And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
BSB: And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
Koinōnos: And it happened that when the days of his priestly service were completed, he went back to his home.

LUK 1:24

KJV: And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
BSB: After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
Koinōnos: And after these days Elizabeth his wife conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,

LUK 1:25

KJV: Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
BSB: “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Koinōnos: This is what the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my disgrace among people.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

LUK 1:6

righteous:The word translated 'righteous' here describes someone who lives in accordance with established social and divine rules, indicating a life that is well-ordered and observant of custom.
ordinances:The term used here for 'ordinances' refers to acts of right or duties, often implying an amendment of a wrong or a proper action towards others.

LUK 1:15

strong drink:The phrase 'strong drink' refers to any fermented alcoholic beverage, not just distilled spirits, and was a common term for intoxicating drinks in the ancient world.

LUK 1:25

to take away:The word translated 'to take away' is more literally 'reproach' or 'disgrace,' indicating that God removed the social shame associated with barrenness.