Luke 1:18

Good News Translation

Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know if this is so? I am an old man, and my wife is old also."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”

King James Version (1611)
And Zacharias said vnto the Angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well striken in yeeres.

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.

English Standard Version
And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

New American Standard Bible
Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her years."

New Century Version
Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I know that what you say is true? I am an old man, and my wife is old, too."

Amplified Bible
And Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I be certain of this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in age."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."

Legacy Standard Bible
And Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."

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."

Contemporary English Version
Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old."

Complete Jewish Bible
Z'kharyah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man; my wife too is well on in years."

Darby Translation
And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this, for *I* am an old man, and my wife advanced in years?

Easy-to-Read Version
Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I know that what you say is true? I am an old man, and my wife is also old."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Zacharias said vnto ye Angel, Whereby shall I knowe this? for I am an olde man, and my wife is of a great age.

George Lamsa Translation
And Zacharias said to the angel, How will I understand this? for I am an old man, and my wife is well on in years.

Lexham English Bible
And Zechariah said to the angel, "By what will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years!"

Literal Translation
And Zacharias said to the angel, By what shall I know this? For I am old and my wife is advanced in her days.

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.

Bible in Basic English
And Zacharias said to the angel, How may I be certain of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far on in years.

Hebrew Names Version
Zekharyah 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."

International Standard Version
Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I know this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years."in her days">[fn]Genesis 17:17;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And Zakaria said to the angel, How shall I know this ? for I am old, and my wife many in her days.

Murdock Translation
And Zachariah said to the angel: How shall I know this? For I am old, and my wife is advanced in life.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Zacharias saide vnto the Angel: By what token shall I know this? For I am olde, and my wyfe well stricken in yeres.

English Revised 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.

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."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And Zacharias said to the angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife advanced in years.

Weymouth's New Testament
"By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Zacarie seide to the aungel, Wherof schal Y wite this? for Y am eld, and my wijf hath gon fer in to hir daies.

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

Webster's Bible Translation
And Zacharias said to the angel, By what shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife far advanced in years.

New English Translation
Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well."

New King James Version
And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

New Living Translation
Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years."

New Life Bible
Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I know this for sure? I am old and my wife is old also."

New Revised Standard
Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Zachariah said unto the messenger - Whereby, shall I know this? for, I, am, aged, and, my wife, advanced in her days.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Zachary said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.

Revised Standard Version
And Zechari'ah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And Zacharias sayde vnto ye angell: Wher by shall I knowe this? seinge that I am olde and my wyfe well stricken in yeares.

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?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Zachary sayde vnto the Angel: Wherby shal I knowe this? For I am olde, and my wife well stricken in age.

Mace New Testament (1729)
But Zacharias said to the angel, by what sign shall I know this? for I am old, and my wife is of a great age.

THE MESSAGE
Zachariah said to the angel, "Do you expect me to believe this? I'm an old man and my wife is an old woman."

Simplified Cowboy Version
Zechariah lowered his gaze and asked, "How can I believe this? The wife and I are real long in the tooth."

Contextual Overview

⁵ During the time when Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife's name was Elizabeth; she also belonged to a priestly family. ⁶ They both lived good lives in God's sight and obeyed fully all the Lord's laws and commands. ⁷ They had no children because Elizabeth could not have any, and she and Zechariah were both very old. ⁸ One day Zechariah was doing his work as a priest in the Temple, taking his turn in the daily service. ⁹ According to the custom followed by the priests, he was chosen by lot to burn incense on the altar. So he went into the Temple of the Lord, ¹⁰ while the crowd of people outside prayed during the hour when the incense was burned. ¹¹ An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar where the incense was burned. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was alarmed and felt afraid. ¹³ But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to name him John. ¹⁴ How glad and happy you will be, and how happy many others will be when he is born!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Whereby: Luke 1:34, Genesis 15:8, Genesis 17:17, Genesis 18:12, Judges 6:36-40, Isaiah 38:22

for: Luke 1:7, Numbers 11:21-23, 2 Kings 7:2, Romans 4:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:11 - old Genesis 18:14 - I will Numbers 11:22 - General 2 Kings 4:16 - do not lie Romans 4:18 - against Romans 4:20 - staggered

Cross-References

Psalms 19:6
It starts at one end of the sky and goes across to the other. Nothing can hide from its heat.

Jeremiah 31:35
The Lord provides the sun for light by day, the moon and the stars to shine at night. He stirs up the sea and makes it roar; his name is the Lord Almighty.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Zacharias said unto the angel, whereby shall I know this?.... Notwithstanding such an appearance of an angel to him, which in those times was not so usual, and this in the holy place; and the things themselves which were told him, and these as the return of prayer; yet he distrusted, and wanted a sign, whereby he might know the truth of them, as the Jews were generally desirous of, and as the father of them was; who expressed himself in much such language, on a certain occasion, as this his son did; see

Genesis 15:8.

For I am an old man; at least sixty years of age; for with the Jews, sixty years were reckoned, לזקנה, "for old age" w; and a man of these years, was accounted an old man: and the Jewish Rabbins observe x, that the word for old age in Job 30:2 is by "gematry, sixty"; that is, the letters of the word, numerically make so much. The Mahometan writers, as before observed on Luke 1:7 make him to be ninety nine years of age: he was not discharged from service; the Levites were at fifty, but not the priests; blemishes, as the Jewish writers say y, made them unfit for service, but years did not: and even the law concerning the Levites, they say z, only respected the time they carried the sanctuary from place to place, and not future generations; and that they are disqualified neither by blemishes, nor by years, only by voice, for singing of the song; but then they might be among the porters; so that they were not on that account laid aside from all service:

and my wife well stricken in years. The Mahometan writers, as before, say, she was "eighty nine"; a like objection Abraham made, though he afterwards got over it, and was strong in faith, giving glory to God, believing in his power and faithfulness; see Genesis 17:17.

w Misn. Abot, c. 5. sect. 21. & Maimon. in ib. x R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 24. 2. y T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 24. 1. z Maimon. Hilch. Cele Hamikdash, c. 3. sect. 8.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whereby shall I know this? - The thing was improbable, and he desired “evidence” that it would take place. The testimony of an “angel,” and in such a place, should have been proof enough; but people are slow to believe the testimony of heavenly messengers. As a consequence of not believing, he was struck mute.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 1:18. Whereby shall I know this? — All things are possible to God: no natural impediment can have any power when God has declared he will accomplish his purpose. He has a right to be believed on his own word alone; and it is impious, when we are convinced that it is his word, to demand a sign or pledge for its fulfilment.