Luke 1 · Verse 8

Luke 1:8

And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
Luke 1:8, King James Version

Luke 1:8 in other translations

BSBOne day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
WEBNow while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division
ASVNow it came to pass, while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
YLTAnd it came to pass, in his acting as priest, in the order of his course before God,
DARBYAnd it came to pass, as he fulfilled his priestly service before God in the order of his course,
BBENow it came about that in his turn he was acting as priest before God,
WebsterAnd it came to pass, that, while he executed the priests' office before God in the order of his course,

What does Luke 1:8 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Before God - In the temple, where God used to manifest his presence, though long before this time he had forsaken it; yet, on this important occasion, the angel of his presence had visited it.

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 1:8 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.

ἘγένετοEgenetoIt came to passG1096
δὲdenowG1161
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
ἱερατεύεινhi'erateueinpriestly servingG2407
αὐτὸνautonof himG846
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
τάξειtaxeiorderG5010
τῆςtēsof theG3588
ἐφημερίαςephēmeriasdivisionG2183
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
ἔναντιenantibeforeG1725
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦ,theouGod,G2316

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

Cross references for Luke 1:8

  • 2 Chronicles 8:14

    And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.

  • 1 Chronicles 24:19

    These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the Lord, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

  • 2 Chronicles 31:2

    And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord.

  • Luke 1:5

    There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

  • Exodus 29:1

    And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,

  • Ezra 6:18

    And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

  • Exodus 29:9

    And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.

  • 2 Chronicles 11:14

    For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord:

  • Exodus 28:1

    And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

  • 2 Chronicles 31:19

    Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.

  • Exodus 28:41

    And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

  • Exodus 29:44

    And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he.
Ex 28:1,41; 29:1,9,44; 30:30; Nu 18:7; 1Ch 24:2; 2Ch 11:14
in.
5; 1Ch 24:19; 2Ch 8:14; 31:2,19; Ezr 6:18

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

Context

  • Luke 1:7

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

  • Luke 1:8

    And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,

  • Luke 1:9

    According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

Read all of Luke 1

Luke 1:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y aconteció que ejerciendo Zacarías el sacerdocio delante de Dios por el orden de su vez,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Or il arriva, pendant qu’il exerçait la sacrificature devant Dieu dans l’ordre de sa classe,
German
Elberfelder 1871
Es geschah aber, als er in der Ordnung seiner Abteilung den priesterlichen Dienst vor Gott erfüllte,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Factum est autem, cum sacerdotio fungeretur in ordine vicis suæ ante Deum,