1:24 After some time 1 his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, 2 and for five months she kept herself in seclusion. 3 She said, 4 1:25 “This is what 5 the Lord has done for me at the time 6 when he has been gracious to me, 7 to take away my disgrace 8 among people.” 9
1:36 “And look, 10 your relative 11 Elizabeth has also become pregnant with 12 a son in her old age – although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month! 13
1 tn Grk “After these days.” The phrase refers to a general, unspecified period of time that passes before fulfillment comes.
2 tn Or “Elizabeth conceived.”
3 sn The text does not state why Elizabeth withdrew into seclusion, nor is the reason entirely clear.
4 tn Grk “she kept herself in seclusion, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
5 tn Grk “Thus.”
6 tn Grk “in the days.”
7 tn Grk “has looked on me” (an idiom for taking favorable notice of someone).
8 sn Barrenness was often seen as a reproach or disgrace (Lev 20:20-21; Jer 22:30), but now at her late age (the exact age is never given in Luke’s account), God had miraculously removed it (see also Luke 1:7).
9 tn Grk “among men”; but the context clearly indicates a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") here.
10 tn Grk “behold.”
11 tn Some translations render the word συγγενίς (sungeni") as “cousin” (so Phillips) but the term is not necessarily this specific.
12 tn Or “has conceived.”
13 tn Grk “and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren.” Yet another note on Elizabeth’s loss of reproach also becomes a sign of the truth of the angel’s declaration.