Luke 1:17

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Translations sourced from the public-domain WEB, KJV, and ASV. See all sources.

“He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ 1:17 Malachi 4:6 and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.””

— WEB

“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.”

— KJV

“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].”

— ASV

Cross-references

Related verses via the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Malachi 4:5-6 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes."
Matthew 11:14 "If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come."
Luke 1:76 "And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,"
John 1:21-30 "They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”"
Mark 9:11-13 "They asked him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”"
Psalms 78:8 "and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit w…"
Matthew 17:11-12 "Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things,"
1 Chronicles 29:18 "Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the heart of your people, a…"

Commentary

before him--before "the Lord their God" (Luk 1:16). By comparing this with Mal 3:1 and Isa 40:3, it is plainly "Jehovah" in the flesh of Messiah [CALVIN and OLSHAUSEN] before whom John was to go as a herald to announce His approach, and a pioneer o prepare His way. in the spirit--after the model. and power of Elias--not his miraculous power, for John did no miracle" (Joh 10:41), but his power "turning the heart," or with like success in his ministry. Both fell on degenerate times; both witnessed fearlessly for God; neither appeared much save in the direct exercise of their ministry; both were at the head of schools of disciples; the success of both was similar. fathers to the children--taken literally, this denotes the restoration of parental fidelity [MEYER and others], the decay of which is the beginning of religious and social corruption--one prominent feature of the coming revival being put for the whole. But what follows, explanatory of this, rather suggests a figurative sense. If "the disobedient" be "the children," and to "the fathers" belongs "the wisdom of the just" [BENGEL], the meaning will be, "he shall bring back the ancient spirit of the nation into their degenerate children" [CALVIN, &c.]. So Elijah invoked "the God Abraham, Isaac, and Israel," when seeking to "turn their heart back again" (Kg1 18:36-37). to make ready, &c.--more clearly, "to make ready for the Lord a prepared people," to have in readiness a people prepared to welcome Him.

— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (public domain)

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