But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
Parallel translations
- WEB His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
- KJV And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
- NKJV His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
- NASB And yet his mother responded and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”
- NLT But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Elizabeth insisted the child be named John. She obeyed God's command over family custom.
Overview
Elizabeth, perhaps informed by Zacharias, declares the God-given name John. Her insistence honors the angel's instruction over tradition. This obedience marks the child as set apart for God's purpose.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Luke 1:13But 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.
- 2 Sam 12:25and sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah because the LORD loved him.
- Luke 1:63Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
- Matt 1:25But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.
- Isa 8:3And I had relations with the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. The LORD said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 1:60 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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