• Luke 1:17
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 17 καὶ and αὐτὸς he προελεύσεται will go ahead ἐνώπιον in sight αὐτοῦ of him ἐν in πνεύματι spirit καὶ and δυνάμει power Ἠλεία, of Elijah, ἐπιστρέψαι to turn back καρδίας hearts πατέρων of fathers ἐπὶ upon τέκνα children καὶ and ἀπειθεῖς disobedient (ones) ἐν in φρονήσει sensibleness δικαίων, of righteous (ones), ἑτοιμάσαι to get ready Κυρίῳ to Lord λαὸν people κατεσκευασμένον. having been furnished down.

  • Luke 1:17
    The Bible in Living English

    • 17 he shall go before him with Elijah’s power and spirit, to bring the hearts of fathers back to their children and disobedient men into the mind of the upright, to get ready for the Lord a prepared people.”

  • Luke 1:17
    American Standard Version

    • 17 And 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 .

  • Luke 1:17
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah,—To turn the hearts of fathers unto children And the unyielding into the prudence of the righteous, And to prepare for the Lord a people made ready.

  • Luke 1:17
    King James Version

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

  • Luke Study Notes—Chapter 1
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 1:17

      Elijah’s: From the Hebrew name meaning “My God Is Jehovah.”

      to turn back the hearts of fathers to children: This expression, quoting a prophecy at Mal 4:6, is not foretelling a general reconciliation between fathers and their children. Rather, John’s message would move fathers to repent, changing their hard hearts into humble, teachable hearts, like those of obedient children. Some would become children of God. Malachi similarly foretold that the hearts of sons would turn back to fathers, meaning that repentant men would become more like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their faithful forefathers.

      get ready for Jehovah a prepared people: The angel’s words to Zechariah (vss. 13-17) contain allusions to such verses as Mal 3:1; 4:5, 6; and Isa 40:3, where the divine name is used. (See study notes on Lu 1:15, 16.) An expression similar to the Greek phrase for to get ready . . . a people can be found in the Septuagint at 2Sa 7:24, where the Hebrew text reads: “You established your people Israel . . . , O Jehovah.”​—See App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:17.