Luke 1:63
New International Version
He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”

New Living Translation
He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.”

English Standard Version
And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.

Berean Standard Bible
Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

Berean Literal Bible
And having asked for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, "John is his name." And they all marveled.

King James Bible
And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

New King James Version
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.

New American Standard Bible
And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

NASB 1995
And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.

NASB 1977
And he asked for a tablet, and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they all marveled.

Amplified Bible
And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.

Christian Standard Bible
He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He asked for a writing tablet and wrote: HIS NAME IS JOHN. And they were all amazed.

American Standard Version
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

Contemporary English Version
Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, "His name is John." Everyone was amazed.

English Revised Version
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." Everyone was amazed.

Good News Translation
Zechariah asked for a writing pad and wrote, "His name is John." How surprised they all were!

International Standard Version
He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And everyone was amazed.

Majority Standard Bible
Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, ?His name is John.? And they were all amazed.

NET Bible
He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they were all amazed.

New Heart English Bible
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they were all amazed.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he asked for a writing-table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they all wondered.

Weymouth New Testament
So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.

World English Bible
He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and having asked for a tablet, he wrote, saying, “John is his name”; and they all wondered;

Berean Literal Bible
And having asked for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, "John is his name." And they all marveled.

Young's Literal Translation
and having asked for a tablet, he wrote, saying, 'John is his name;' and they did all wonder;

Smith's Literal Translation
And having asked for a small writing tablet, he wrote, saying, John is his name. And they all wondered.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And requesting a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: “His name is John.” And they all wondered.

New American Bible
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed.

New Revised Standard Version
He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he asked for a tablet and wrote, saying, John is his name. And every one was surprised.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He requested a tablet and he wrote and he said, “Yohannan is his name”, and everyone was amazed.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And having asked for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: His name is John. And they were all astonished.

Godbey New Testament
And having asked for a writing tablet, he wrote saying; His name is John.

Haweis New Testament
And desiring a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, John is his name. And they were all surprised.

Mace New Testament
then he made signs for a writing-book, and writ these words, "his name is John:" at which they were all surprized.

Weymouth New Testament
So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.

Worrell New Testament
And, asking for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, "John is his name." And they all marveled.

Worsley New Testament
And he called for a writing-tablet, and wrote upon it, His name is John: and they all wondered.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Birth of John the Baptist
62So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child. 63 Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 64Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.…

Cross References
Genesis 17:19
But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

1 Samuel 1:20
So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”

Isaiah 8:1-3
Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary stylus: Maher-shalal-hash-baz. / And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.” / And I had relations with the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. The LORD said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

Genesis 21:3
And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him.

1 Chronicles 22:9
But a son will be born to you who will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name will be Solomon, and I will grant to Israel peace and quiet during his reign.

2 Kings 5:14
So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.

Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Matthew 1:21
She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:25
But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.

Matthew 3:1
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea

Matthew 11:11
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Mark 1:4
John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 6:14
Now King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

John 1:6-7
There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. / He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.


Treasury of Scripture

And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all.

a.

Proverbs 3:3
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

Isaiah 30:8
Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:

Jeremiah 17:1
The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;

His.

Luke 1:13,60
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John…

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Luke 1
1. The preface of Luke to his whole gospel.
5. The conception of John the Baptist;
26. and of Jesus.
39. The prophecy of Elisabeth and of Mary, concerning Jesus.
57. The nativity and circumcision of John.
67. The prophecy of Zachariah, both of Jesus,
76. and of John.














He asked for a tablet
In the context of Luke 1:63, the phrase "He asked for a tablet" refers to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. The Greek word for "tablet" is "πινακίδιον" (pinakidion), which denotes a small writing tablet, often made of wood coated with wax. This reflects the historical practice of writing in the ancient world, where such tablets were common for temporary notes. Zechariah's request for a tablet signifies his determination to communicate clearly despite his temporary muteness, a condition imposed by the angel Gabriel due to his initial disbelief (Luke 1:20). This act of asking for a tablet underscores the importance of written communication in affirming God's will and the fulfillment of prophecy.

and wrote
The act of writing, "and wrote," is significant in this narrative. The Greek verb "ἔγραψεν" (egrapsen) is used here, emphasizing the deliberate and decisive action taken by Zechariah. Writing was a respected skill in ancient times, often associated with authority and permanence. By writing, Zechariah not only confirms the name of his son but also demonstrates his obedience and faith in God's message. This moment marks a turning point for Zechariah, as his act of writing is a public declaration of his trust in God's plan.

His name is John
The phrase "His name is John" is pivotal. The name "John" is derived from the Hebrew "Yochanan," meaning "Yahweh is gracious." This name was divinely appointed by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:13) and signifies the grace and favor of God bestowed upon Zechariah and Elizabeth, as well as the role John would play in preparing the way for Jesus. The declaration of John's name is an act of faith and obedience, aligning with God's purpose and plan. It also highlights the theme of divine intervention and fulfillment of prophecy, as John's birth and naming were foretold by God.

And they were all astonished
The reaction, "And they were all astonished," captures the amazement of those present. The Greek word "ἐθαύμασαν" (ethaumasan) conveys a sense of wonder and surprise. This astonishment is not only due to the unexpected choice of name, which broke with family tradition, but also because of the miraculous circumstances surrounding John's birth and Zechariah's restored speech. This moment of astonishment serves to underscore the divine nature of the events unfolding, drawing attention to God's active presence and the fulfillment of His promises. It also sets the stage for the recognition of John's prophetic role in the salvation history.

(63) A writing table.--The tablets in common use at this time throughout the Roman empire were commonly of wood, covered with a thin coat of wax, on which men wrote with the sharp point which has left its traces in our language, in the word "style," in its literal and figurative senses.

His name is John.--There is something emphatic in the use of the present tense. It was not a question to be discussed. The name had been given already.

And they marvelled all.--This confirms the view given above as to the previous deafness of Zacharias. There would have been no ground for wonder, had he heard the discussion. It was the coincidence that surprised them, hardly less than the utterance.

Verse 63. - A writing-table; better, a writing-tablet. The tablets in use generally at the time were usually made of wood, covered with a thin coating of wax; on the soft layer of wax the words were written with an iron stylus.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[Zechariah] asked for
αἰτήσας (aitēsas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 154: To ask, request, petition, demand. Of uncertain derivation; to ask.

a tablet
πινακίδιον (pinakidion)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4093: A tablet for writing. Diminutive of pinax; a tablet.

[and] wrote,
ἔγραψεν (egrapsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

“His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

name
ὄνομα (onoma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3686: Name, character, fame, reputation. From a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko; a 'name'.

is
ἐστὶν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

John.”
Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2491: Of Hebrew origin; Joannes, the name of four Israelites.

And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they were all astonished.
ἐθαύμασαν (ethaumasan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2296: (a) intrans: I wonder, marvel, (b) trans: I wonder at, admire. From thauma; to wonder; by implication, to admire.


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NT Gospels: Luke 1:63 He asked for a writing tablet (Luke Lu Lk)
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