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Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Bible in Basic English

Luke 1:21

And the people were waiting for Zacharias and were surprised because he was in the Temple for such a long time.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Barrenness;   Elisabeth (Elizabeth);   Joy;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Temple;   Vision;   Zacharias (Zechariah);   Scofield Reference Index - Inspiration;   Israel;   Thompson Chain Reference - Zacharias;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Elisabeth;   John;   Temple;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Zechariah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Age, Old (the Aged);   Jerusalem;   John the Baptist;   Miracle;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Angel;   Union Hypostatical;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Daniel, the Book of;   Incense;   Juttah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Future Hope;   Jesus, Life and Ministry of;   John;   Luke, Gospel of;   Mother;   Zacharias;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - John the Baptist;   Vision;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Benediction;   Deaf and Dumb;   Redemption (2);   Temple (2);   Zacharias ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Elisabeth ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Gabriel;   Theophilus;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elisabeth;   Gabriel;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - John, the Baptize;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Gabriel;   John the Baptist;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
King James Version (1611)
And the people waited for Zacharias, and maruelled that hee taried so long in the temple.
King James Version
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
English Standard Version
And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.
New American Standard Bible
And meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.
New Century Version
Outside, the people were still waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he was staying so long in the Temple.
Amplified Bible
The people [outside in the court] were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering about his long delay in the temple.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were wondering at his delay in the sanctuary.
Berean Standard Bible
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
Contemporary English Version
The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying so long in the temple.
Complete Jewish Bible
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Z'kharyah; they were surprised at his taking so long in the Temple.
Darby Translation
And the people were awaiting Zacharias, and they wondered at his delaying in the temple.
Easy-to-Read Version
Outside, the people were still waiting for Zechariah. They were surprised that he was staying so long in the Temple.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Now the people waited for Zacharias, and marueiled that he taried so long in the Temple.
George Lamsa Translation
Now the people stood waiting for Zacharias, and wondered because he remained so long in the temple.
Good News Translation
In the meantime the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he was spending such a long time in the Temple.
Lexham English Bible
And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and began to wonder when he was delayed in the temple.
Literal Translation
And the people were expecting Zacharias, and they wondered at his delay in the temple.
American Standard Version
And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled while he tarried in the temple.
Hebrew Names Version
The people were waiting for Zekharyah, and they marveled while he delayed in the temple.
International Standard Version
Meanwhile, the people kept waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed in the sanctuary so long.
Etheridge Translation
But the people were standing, and expecting Zakaria. and were wondering at his delay in the temple.
Murdock Translation
And the people were standing and waiting for Zachariah; and they wondered at his tarrying so long in the temple.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marueyled that he taried so long in the temple.
English Revised Version
And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled while he tarried in the temple.
World English Bible
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled while he delayed in the temple.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
Weymouth's New Testament
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the puple was abidynge Zacarie, and thei wondriden, that he tariede in the temple.
Update Bible Version
And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled while he tarried in the temple.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple.
New English Translation
Now the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder why he was delayed in the holy place.
New King James Version
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
New Living Translation
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.
New Life Bible
The people outside were waiting. They were surprised and wondered why Zacharias stayed so long in the house of God.
New Revised Standard
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the people were expecting Zachariah, and began to marvel that he should tarry in the Temple;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the people were waiting for Zachary: and they wondered that he tarried so long in the temple.
Revised Standard Version
And the people were waiting for Zechari'ah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And the people wayted for Zacharias and mervelled that he taryed in the temple.
Young's Literal Translation
And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and wondering at his tarrying in the sanctuary,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the people wayted for Zachary, and marueyled, that he taried so longe in the teple.
Mace New Testament (1729)
In the mean time the people were waiting for Zacharias, and wonder'd at his tarrying so long in the temple.
THE MESSAGE
Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary. When he came out and couldn't speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people.
Simplified Cowboy Version
After the church service was over, many people waited on Zechariah to come out. They were wondering why he was taking so long.

Contextual Overview

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judaea, there was a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the order of Abijah; and he had a wife of the family of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 They were upright in the eyes of God, keeping all the rules and orders of God, and doing no wrong. 7 And they were without children, because Elisabeth had never given birth, and they were at that time very old. 8 Now it came about that in his turn he was acting as priest before God, 9 And as was the way of the priests, he had to go into the Temple to see to the burning of perfumes. 10 And all the people were offering prayers outside, at the time of the burning of perfumes. 11 And he saw an angel of the Lord in his place on the right side of the altar. 12 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear came on him. 13 But the angel said, Have no fear, Zacharias, for your prayer has come to the ears of God, and your wife Elisabeth will have a son, and his name will be John. 14 And you will be glad and have great delight; and numbers of people will have joy at his birth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Numbers 6:23-27

Reciprocal: Genesis 30:23 - General Leviticus 9:23 - came out

Cross-References

Genesis 1:18
To have rule over the day and the night, and for a division between the light and the dark: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:24
And God said, Let the earth give birth to all sorts of living things, cattle and all things moving on the earth, and beasts of the earth after their sort: and it was so.
Genesis 1:25
And God made the beast of the earth after its sort, and the cattle after their sort, and everything moving on the face of the earth after its sort: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, like us: and let him have rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every living thing which goes flat on the earth.
Genesis 1:31
And God saw everything which he had made and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 6:20
Two of every sort of bird and cattle and of every sort of living thing which goes on the earth will you take with you to keep them from destruction.
Genesis 7:14
And with them, every sort of beast and cattle, and every sort of thing which goes on the earth, and every sort of bird.
Genesis 8:17
Take out with you every living thing which is with you, birds and cattle and everything which goes on the earth, so that they may have offspring and be fertile and be increased on the earth.
Genesis 8:19
And every beast and bird and every living thing of every sort which goes on the earth, went out of the ark.
Genesis 9:7
And now, be fertile and have increase; have offspring on the earth and become great in number.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the people waited for Zacharias,.... That were without, in the court of the Israelites, praying there, while he was offering incense: these were waiting for his coming out, in order to be blessed by him, according to Numbers 6:23 and be dismissed: and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple; beyond the usual time of burning incense; which might be occasioned either by a longer discourse of the angel with him than what is here related; or being struck with amazement at the sight and hearing of the angel, he might continue long musing on this unexpected appearance and relation; or he might spend some time not only in meditation upon it, but in mental prayer, confession, and thanksgiving. The high priest, when he went in to burn incense on the day of atonement,

"made a short prayer in the outward house, (in the temple,) and he did not continue long in his prayer, שלא להבעית, "that he might not affright" the Israelites'' m,

thinking that he was dead; for many high priests that were unfit for, or made alteration in the service, died in the holy of holies n.

"It is reported o of one high priest, that he continued long in his prayer, and his brethren, the priests, thought to have gone in after him; and they began to go in, and he came out; they say unto him, why didst thou continue long in thy prayer? he replied to them, is it hard in your eyes that I should pray for you, and for the house of the sanctuary, that it might not be destroyed? they answered him, be not used to do so; for we have learned, that a man should not continue long in prayer, that he may not affright Israel.''

This high priest, they elsewhere say p, was Simeon the just.

m Misna Yoma, c. 5. sect. 1. n Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. o T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 53. 2. p T. Hieros. Yoma, fol. 42. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The people waited - That is, beyond the usual time.

Marvelled - Wondered. The priest, it is said, was not accustomed to remain in the temple more than half an hour commonly. Having remained on this occasion a longer time, the people became apprehensive of his safety, and wondered what had happened to him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 1:21. The people waited — The time spent in burning the incense was probably about half an hour, during which there was a profound silence, as the people stood without engaged in mental prayer. To this there is an allusion in Revelation 8:1-5. Zacharias had spent not only the time necessary for burning the incense, but also that which the discourse between him and the angel took up.


 
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