Devine Scripture

Luke 1:16

What does Luke 1:16 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 1:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 1:16 means

John’s mission is to turn many of Israel’s children to the Lord their God. This indicates repentance and restoration to covenant faith. Turning implies moral and spiritual reorientation toward God. John’s influence will be significant and communal—he will call people back to right relationship with God. This explains the earlier rejoicing and marks John as an instrument of God’s saving purpose, focused on Israel’s restoration in readiness for the Messiah’s arrival.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And through him great numbers of the children of Israel will be turned to the Lord their God.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and many of the sons of Israel he shall turn to the Lord their God,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to [the] Lord theirGod.

Context

After describing John’s consecrated life, Luke clarifies his ministry’s effect: reformation and restoration in Israel. The verse builds momentum from personal sanctity to public mission. The following verse will connect John’s role to prophetic precedent and eschatological expectation.

v.15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

v.16This passage

v.17And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Matthew 21:32

    For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him.

  • Daniel 12:3

    And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

  • Matthew 3:1

    And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, saying,

  • Isaiah 49:6

    yea, he saith, It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

  • Luke 1:76

    Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways;

  • Isaiah 40:3

    The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God.

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