Luke 1:17

“And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.””
Luke 1:17 · direct translation from the Greek

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The angel announces to Zechariah a son who will bring joyParents and Children

With the Greek beneath

Andκαὶheαὐτὸςwill goπροελεύσεταιbeforeἐνώπιονhimαὐτοῦinἐνthe spiritπνεύματιandκαὶpowerδυνάμειof Elijah,Ἠλίουto turnἐπιστρέψαιthe heartsκαρδίαςof fathersπατέρωνtoἐπὶchildren,τέκναandκαὶthe disobedientἀπειθεῖςtoἐνthe wisdomφρονήσειof the righteous,δικαίωνto make readyἑτοιμάσαιfor the Lordκυρίῳa peopleλαὸνprepared.”κατεσκευασμένον

Allusion · Malachi 4:5-6

Go to Malachi 4:5-6

Both texts speak of Elijah and of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

ἨλίουĒliouG2243אֵלִיָּהeliyaH452“Elijah”
ἐπιστρέψαιepistrepsaiG1994הֵשִׁיבheshivH7725“turn”
καρδίαςkardiasG2588לֵבlevH3820“heart”
πατέρωνpaterōnG3962אָבוֹתavotH1“father”
τέκναteknaG5043בָּנִיםbanimH1121“son”
κυρίῳkyriōiG2962יְהוָהyehvaH3068“Lord, master”

Luke 1:17, word by word

will goπροελεύσεταιproeleusetai

go ahead

Go on ahead; go before.

Where else “proeleusetai” appears

beforeἐνώπιονenōpion

before, in front of

In front of, in the presence of.

Where else “enōpion” appears

the spiritπνεύματιpneumati

spirit

A person's spirit, their inner self.

Where else “pneumati” appears

powerδυνάμειdynamei

power

The strength to act, above all that of God and his Spirit.

Where else “dynamei” appears

of ElijahἨλίουĒliou

Elijah

Elijah, the prophet of Israel taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2); Malachi announced his return.

Where else “Ēliou” appears

to turnἐπιστρέψαιepistrepsai

turn to God

To come back to God, or bring others back to him.

Where else “epistrepsai” appears

the heartsκαρδίαςkardias

heart

Heart: the center of the person, where one thinks, feels and decides.

Where else “kardias” appears

of fathersπατέρωνpaterōn

parents

A family's father; sometimes father and mother.

Where else “paterōn” appears

childrenτέκναtekna

child

Someone born of parents, or of a family or people.

Where else “tekna” appears

the disobedientἀπειθεῖςapeitheis

disobedient

Disobedient.

Where else “apeitheis” appears

the wisdomφρονήσειphronēsei

good sense

Good sense, prudence, practical wisdom.

Where else “phronēsei” appears

of the righteousδικαίωνdikaiōn

righteous

One who lives well, as God wants.

Where else “dikaiōn” appears

to make readyἑτοιμάσαιhetoimasai

prepare

Prepare, make ready.

Where else “hetoimasai” appears

for the Lordκυρίῳkyriōi

Lord

The Lord: God, whose name is YHWH; also Jesus.

Where else “kyriōi” appears

a peopleλαὸνlaon

people

A people, above all Israel, God's people.

Where else “laon” appears

preparedκατεσκευασμένονkateskeuasmenon

prepare

To get something ready for use.

Where else “kateskeuasmenon” appears

Translation note

It takes up Malachi 4:5-6 (3:23-24 in Hebrew): “he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.”

The context

16And many of the sons of Israel he will turn to the Lord their God.

17 · This verse (above)

18And Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days.”

Read all of Luke 1

To study Luke 1 in a group

1. What it says
What does the angel Gabriel tell Mary about the son she will have, and how does she answer at the end? (vv. 30-38)
2. What it means
Why do you think Zechariah was left unable to speak while Mary was not, when both asked the angel a question? (vv. 18-20, 34-38)
3. How I live it
Which promise of God is hard for you to believe today, and what small step could you take in trust, like Mary?

How to use it