Isaiah 42:16

42:16 I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; ¹ 

I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. ² 

I will turn the darkness in front of them into light,

and level out the rough ground. ³ 

This is what I will do for them.

I will not abandon them.

Matthew 4:16

4:16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,

and on those who sit in the region and shadow of death a light has dawned.” ⁴ 

Luke 1:79

1:79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, ⁵ 

to guide our feet into the way ⁶  of peace.”

Luke 1:1

Explanatory Preface

1:1 Now ⁷  many have undertaken to compile an account ⁸  of the things ⁹  that have been fulfilled ¹⁰  among us,

Luke 2:9

2:9 An ¹¹  angel of the Lord ¹²  appeared to ¹³  them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. ¹⁴ 

¹ tn Heb “a way they do not know” (so NASB); NRSV “a road they do not know.”

² tn Heb “in paths they do not know I will make them walk.”

³ tn Heb “and the rough ground into a level place.”

⁴ sn A quotation from Isa 9:1.

⁵ sn On the phrases who sit in darkness…and…death see Isa 9:1-2; 42:7; 49:9-10.

⁶ tn Or “the path.”

⁷ tn Grk “Since” or “Because.” This begins a long sentence that extends through v. 4. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, the Greek sentence has been divided up into shorter English sentences in the translation.

⁸ tn This is sometimes translated “narrative,” but the term itself can refer to an oral or written account. It is the verb “undertaken” which suggests a written account, since it literally is “to set one’s hand” to something (BDAG 386 s.v. ἐπιχειρέω). “Narrative” is too specific, denoting a particular genre of work for the accounts that existed in the earlier tradition. Not all of that material would have been narrative.

⁹ tn Or “events.”

¹⁰ tn Or “have been accomplished.” Given Luke’s emphasis on divine design (e.g., Luke 24:43-47) a stronger sense (“fulfilled”) is better than a mere reference to something having taken place (“accomplished”).

¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹² tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:11.

¹³ tn Or “stood in front of.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “they feared a great fear” (a Semitic idiom which intensifies the main idea, in this case their fear).