And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
Parallel translations
- WEB His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
- BSB But his mother replied, “No! 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 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.
- 2 Sam 12:25And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
- Luke 1:63And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
- Matt 1:25And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
- Isa 8:3And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.
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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