And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
Parallel translations
- WEB All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
- KJV And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
- NKJV And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.
- NASB All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
- NLT Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
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
People pondered what this child would become, for the Lord's hand was with him. John's special destiny is recognized.
Overview
Those who heard kept these things in their hearts, wondering about the child's future. The phrase 'the hand of the Lord was with him' signals God's special favor and purpose. Their wonder points ahead to John's mission as the Messiah's forerunner.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Acts 11:21The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
- Luke 2:19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
- Luke 2:51Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
- Judg 13:24–25So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him.
- Luke 9:44“Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”
- 1 Kgs 18:46And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
- Luke 1:80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.
- Ps 119:11I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
- Ps 89:21My hand will sustain him; surely My arm will strengthen him.
- Luke 2:40And the Child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.
- Gen 39:2And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
- 1 Sam 2:18Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
- Gen 37:11And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what he had said.
- 1 Sam 16:18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”
- Ps 80:17Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand, on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.
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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 1:66 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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