Luke 1 · Verse 13

Luke 1:13

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.
Luke 1:13, King James Version

Luke 1:13 in other translations

BSBBut 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.
WEBBut the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
ASVBut the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
YLTand the messenger said unto him, ‘Fear not, Zacharias, for thy supplication was heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear a son to thee, and thou shalt call his name John,
DARBYBut the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias, because thy supplication has been heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
BBEBut 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.
WebsterBut the angel said to 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.

What does Luke 1:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. thy prayer is heard--doubtless for offspring, which by some presentiment he even yet had not despaired of. John--the same as "Johanan," so frequent in the Old Testament, meaning "Jehovah's gracious gift."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Thy prayer is heard - This probably refers, 1st, to the frequent prayers which he had offered to God for a son; and 2dly, to those which he had offered for the deliverance and consolation of Israel. They are all heard - thou shalt have a son, and Israel shall be saved. If fervent faithful prayers be not immediately answered, they should not be considered as lost; all such are heard by the Lord, are registered in heaven, and shall be answered in the most effectual way, and in the best time. Answers to prayer are to be received by faith; but faith should not only accompany prayer while offered on earth, but follow it all its way to the throne of grace, and stay with it before the throne till dismissed with its answer to the waiting soul. Thou shalt call his name John - For the proper exposition of this name, see on Mar 1:4 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 1:5-25

The father and mother of John the Baptist were sinners as all are, and were justified and saved in the same way as others; but they were eminent for piety and integrity. They had no children, and it could not be expected that Elisabeth should have any in her old age. While Zacharias was burning incense in the temple, the whole multitude of the people were praying without. All the prayers we offer up to God, are…

Read the full comment on Luke 1:5-25 →

Luke 1:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΕἶπενEipenSaidG2036
δὲdethenG1161
πρὸςprostoG4314
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
ὁhotheG3588
ἄγγελος·angelosangel;G32
μὴmēNotG3361
φοβοῦphoboudo fearG5399
Ζαχαρία·ZachariaZechariah;G2197
διότιdiotibecauseG1360
εἰσηκούσθηeisēkousthēhas been heardG1522
ἡhētheG3588
δέησίςdeēsisprayerG1162
σου,souof you,G4771
καὶkaiandG2532
ἡhētheG3588
γυνήgunēwifeG1135
σουsouof YouG4771
ἘλισάβετElisabetElizabethG1665
γεννήσειgennēseiwill bearG1080
υἱόνhuiona sonG5207
σοι,soito you,G4771
καὶkaiandG2532
καλέσειςkaleseisyou will callG2564
τὸtotheG3588
ὄνομαonomanameG3686
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
Ἰωάννην.IōannēnJohn.G2491

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 1:13

  • 1 Samuel 2:21

    And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.

  • Acts 10:31

    And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

  • Psalms 113:9

    He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.

  • Genesis 25:21

    And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

  • Psalms 127:3-5

    Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

  • Luke 2:21

    And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

  • Psalms 118:21

    I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

  • Genesis 18:14

    Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

  • Daniel 10:12

    Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

  • Genesis 17:10

    This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

  • Matthew 14:27

    But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

  • Matthew 28:5

    And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fear.
24:36-40; Jud 6:23; Da 10:12; Mt 28:5; Mr 16:6
thy prayer.
Ge 25:21; 1Sa 1:20-23; Ps 118:21; Ac 10:31
and they.
Ge 17:10; 18:14; Jud 13:3-5; 1Sa 2:21; 2Ki 4:16,17; Ps 113:9
Ps 127:3-5
thou.
60-63; 2:21; Ge 17:19; Isa 8:3; Ho 1:4,6,9,10; Mt 1:21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 1:12

    And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

  • Luke 1:13

    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.

  • Luke 1:14

    And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

Read all of Luke 1

Luke 1:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas el ángel le dijo: Zacarías, no temas; porque tu oración ha sido oída, y tu mujer Elisabet te parirá un hijo, y llamarás su nombre Juan.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’ange lui dit: Ne crains pas, Zacharie, parce que tes supplications ont été exaucées, et ta femme Élisabeth t’enfantera un fils, et tu appelleras son nom Jean.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der Engel aber sprach zu ihm: Fürchte dich nicht, Zacharias, denn dein Flehen ist erhört, und dein Weib Elisabeth wird dir einen Sohn gebären, und du sollst seinen Namen Johannes heißen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ait autem ad illum angelus: Ne timeas, Zacharia, quoniam exaudita est deprecatio tua: et uxor tua Elisabeth pariet tibi filium, et vocabis nomen ejus Joannem: