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.

But {G1161} the angel {G32} said {G2036} unto {G4314} him {G846}, Fear {G5399} not {G3361}, Zacharias {G2197}: for {G1360} thy {G4675} prayer {G1162} is heard {G1522}; and {G2532} thy {G4675} wife {G1135} Elisabeth {G1665} shall bear {G1080} thee {G4671} a son {G5207}, and {G2532} thou shalt call {G2564} his {G846} name {G3686} John {G2491}.

But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Z'kharyah; because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elisheva will bear you a son, and you are to name him Yochanan.

But 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.

But 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.

Luke 1:13 marks a pivotal moment in biblical history, announcing the miraculous birth of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. The verse begins with the angel's reassuring words to Zacharias, a priest, who had been struck with fear by the angelic visitation in the Temple.

Context

Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth were righteous individuals, but they were advanced in years and had remained childless, a source of sorrow and social stigma in their culture. While Zacharias was serving as a priest in the Temple, burning incense, the angel Gabriel appeared to him. Zacharias's initial reaction was fear, a common response to divine encounters in Scripture. This verse immediately addresses that fear, signaling a message of good news rather than judgment.

Key Themes

  • Answered Prayer: The angel's declaration, "thy prayer is heard," suggests that Zacharias and Elisabeth had long prayed for a child, or perhaps Zacharias's prayer was for the redemption of Israel. God's timing, though often delayed from a human perspective, is always perfect. This theme offers profound encouragement regarding the faithfulness of God to His people.
  • Miraculous Birth & Overcoming Barrenness: The promise that "Elisabeth shall bear thee a son" highlights God's power to intervene in seemingly impossible situations. This echoes similar divine interventions for previously barren women in the Bible, such as Sarah (Genesis 18:10) and Hannah (1 Samuel 1:20), underscoring God's sovereignty over life and His ability to bring forth His purposes.
  • The Naming of John: The instruction to "call his name John" is significant. The name John (from the Hebrew Yohanan) means "The Lord is Gracious" or "God is Gracious." This name itself is a prophecy, speaking to the grace that would be manifested through John's ministry and, preeminently, through the One he would announce.
  • Divine Purpose: John's birth is not merely a personal blessing but a crucial part of God's redemptive plan. He is destined to prepare a people for the Lord, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "Fear not" is a common angelic greeting in the Bible, often appearing in moments of divine revelation or significant announcements (e.g., to Mary in Luke 1:30). It serves to calm human apprehension in the face of the supernatural and to assure the recipient that the message is one of blessing, not harm. The Greek word for "John," Ioannes, directly derives from the Hebrew Yohanan, emphasizing the theme of God's grace.

Practical Application

Luke 1:13 reminds believers that God hears prayers, even those that seem to go unanswered for a long time. It encourages perseverance in prayer and trust in God's perfect timing. No situation, no matter how impossible it seems (like barrenness in old age), is beyond God's power to transform. Furthermore, this verse highlights that God often uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways to fulfill His divine purposes, reminding us that our lives, too, can be part of His greater plan.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Acts 10:31

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

  • 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.

  • 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

    Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward.

  • Psalms 127:5

    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.

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