Luke 1 · Verse 18

Luke 1:18

And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
Luke 1:18, King James Version

Luke 1:18 in other translations

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.”
WEBZacharias 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.”
ASVAnd Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
YLTAnd Zacharias said unto the messenger, ‘Whereby shall I know this? for I am aged, and my wife is advanced in her days?'
DARBYAnd Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this, for I am an old man, and my wife advanced in years?
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterAnd Zacharias said to the angel, By what shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife far advanced in years.

What does Luke 1:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. Whereby, &c.--Mary believed what was far harder without a sign. Abraham, though older, and doubtless Sarah, too, when the same promise was made to him, "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God." This was that in which Zacharias failed.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 18. Whereby shall I know this? (w) 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 men are slow to believe the testimony of heavenly messengers. As a consequence of not believing, he was struck dumb.

(w) Gen 17:17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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 fulfillment.

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 1:18 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.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532
εἶπενeipensaidG2036
ΖαχαρίαςZachariasZechariahG2197
πρὸςprostoG4314
τὸνtontheG3588
ἄγγελον·angelonangel;G32
κατὰkataByG2596
τίtiwhatG5101
γνώσομαιgnōsomaiwill I knowG1097
τοῦτο;toutothis?G3778
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
γάρgarforG1063
εἰμιeimiamG1510
πρεσβύτης,presbutēsan old man,G4246
καὶkaiandG2532
ἡhētheG3588
γυνήgunēwifeG1135
μουmouof mineG3165
προβεβηκυῖαprobebēkuiahaving advancedG4260
ἐνeninG1722
ταῖςtaistheG3588
ἡμέραιςhēmeraisyearsG2250
αὐτῆς.¶autēsof her.G846

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

Cross references for Luke 1:18

  • Genesis 17:17

    Then 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?

  • Genesis 18:12

    Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

  • Isaiah 38:22

    Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?

  • Luke 1:7

    And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

  • Luke 1:34

    Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

  • 2 Kings 7:2

    Then 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.

  • Romans 4:19

    And 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:

  • Judges 6:36-40

    And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. …

  • Genesis 15:8

    And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

  • Numbers 11:21-23

    And 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. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Whereby.
34; Ge 15:8; 17:17; 18:12; Jud 6:36-40; Isa 38:22
for.
7; Nu 11:21-23; 2Ki 7:2; Ro 4:19

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

Context

  • Luke 1:17

    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.

  • Luke 1:18

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

  • Luke 1:19

    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.

Read all of Luke 1

Luke 1:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y dijo Zacarías al ángel: ¿En qué conoceré esto? porque yo soy viejo, y mi mujer avanzada en días.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Zacharie dit à l’ange: Comment connaîtrai-je cela? car moi, je suis un vieillard, et ma femme est fort avancée en âge.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Zacharias sprach zu dem Engel: Woran soll ich dies erkennen? denn ich bin ein alter Mann, und mein Weib ist weit vorgerückt in ihren Tagen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et dixit Zacharias ad angelum: Unde hoc sciam? ego enim sum senex, et uxor mea processit in diebus suis.