Luke 1:72
New International Version
to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,

New Living Translation
He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant—

English Standard Version
to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,

Berean Standard Bible
to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,

Berean Literal Bible
to fulfill mercy toward our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant,

King James Bible
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

New King James Version
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant,

New American Standard Bible
To show mercy to our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,

NASB 1995
To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,

NASB 1977
To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,

Legacy Standard Bible
To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,

Amplified Bible
To show mercy [as He promised] to our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant [the promised blessing],

Christian Standard Bible
He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant —

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He has dealt mercifully with our fathers and remembered His holy covenant—

American Standard Version
To show mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant;

Contemporary English Version
God said he would be kind to our people and keep his sacred promise.

English Revised Version
To shew mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He has shown his mercy to our ancestors and remembered his holy promise,

Good News Translation
He said he would show mercy to our ancestors and remember his sacred covenant.

International Standard Version
He has shown mercy to our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant,

Majority Standard Bible
to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,

NET Bible
He has done this to show mercy to our ancestors, and to remember his holy covenant--

New Heart English Bible
to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,

Webster's Bible Translation
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant:

Weymouth New Testament
He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,

World English Bible
to show mercy toward our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
To do kindness with our fathers, "" And to be mindful of His holy covenant,

Berean Literal Bible
to fulfill mercy toward our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant,

Young's Literal Translation
To do kindness with our fathers, And to be mindful of His holy covenant,

Smith's Literal Translation
To do mercy with our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy testament,

Catholic Public Domain Version
to accomplish mercy with our fathers, and to call to mind his holy testament,

New American Bible
to show mercy to our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant

New Revised Standard Version
Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He has shown mercy to our fathers, and he has remembered his holy covenants;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And he has wrought his mercy with our fathers and he has remembered his holy covenants”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
in order to show the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,

Godbey New Testament
to execute mercy with our fathers, and remember His holy covenant,

Haweis New Testament
to perform mercy towards our fathers, and to remember his own holy covenant:

Mace New Testament
to show regard to our forefathers, in performing his holy covenant,

Weymouth New Testament
He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,

Worrell New Testament
to show mercy towards our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant;

Worsley New Testament
to display his mercy towards our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Zechariah's Song
71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, 72to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, 73the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us…

Cross References
Genesis 17:7
I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Exodus 2:24
So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Psalm 105:8-10
He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations— / the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac. / He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

Psalm 106:45
And He remembered His covenant with them, and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion.

Micah 7:20
You will show faithfulness to Jacob and loving devotion to Abraham, as You swore to our fathers from the days of old.

Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains may be removed and the hills may be shaken, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Jeremiah 31:3
The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion.

Ezekiel 16:60
But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Nehemiah 9:32
So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

Romans 15:8
For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs,

Hebrews 6:13-14
When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself, / saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.”

Galatians 3:16
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.

Acts 3:25
And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’

Romans 11:28
Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.


Treasury of Scripture

To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

perform.

Luke 1:54,55
He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; …

Genesis 12:3
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 22:18
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

and.

Genesis 17:4-9
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations…

Leviticus 26:42
Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.

Psalm 105:8-10
He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations…

Jump to Previous
Acts Covenant Dealt Fathers Forefathers Fulfil Holy Kindness Mercy Mind Mindful Perform Promised Remember Remembered Show Towards Word
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Acts Covenant Dealt Fathers Forefathers Fulfil Holy Kindness Mercy Mind Mindful Perform Promised Remember Remembered Show Towards Word
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.














to show mercy
The phrase "to show mercy" is rooted in the Greek word "ἐλεος" (eleos), which conveys a deep sense of compassion and loving-kindness. In the biblical context, mercy is not merely a passive feeling but an active demonstration of God's love and forgiveness. Historically, God's mercy is a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament, where He repeatedly shows compassion to the Israelites despite their disobedience. This mercy is a fulfillment of His promises and is central to the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. It reflects God's unwavering commitment to His people and His desire to restore them to a right relationship with Him.

to our fathers
The term "our fathers" refers to the patriarchs of Israel, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom God made significant promises. These patriarchs are foundational figures in the history of Israel, and God's dealings with them set the stage for His redemptive plan. The mention of "our fathers" emphasizes the continuity of God's covenantal faithfulness across generations. It highlights the historical and spiritual lineage that connects the past promises to the present fulfillment in Christ. This connection reassures believers of God's unchanging nature and His dedication to fulfilling His word.

and to remember
The word "remember" in this context is derived from the Greek "μνησθῆναι" (mnesthenai), which implies more than just recalling to mind. In biblical terms, when God remembers, it signifies His active intervention and fulfillment of His promises. This remembrance is not due to forgetfulness but is a deliberate act of grace and faithfulness. It underscores the idea that God is always mindful of His covenant and is working in history to bring about His divine purposes. This assurance of God's remembrance provides comfort and hope to believers, affirming that He is always attentive to His promises and His people.

His holy covenant
The phrase "His holy covenant" refers to the sacred agreements God made with His people, particularly the covenant with Abraham, which included promises of land, descendants, and blessing. The term "holy" signifies the divine and set-apart nature of this covenant, underscoring its importance and the seriousness with which God regards it. Covenants in the biblical sense are binding and eternal, reflecting God's unbreakable commitment to His people. The fulfillment of this covenant through Jesus Christ is a central theme in the New Testament, demonstrating that God's promises are reliable and that His plan of salvation is unfolding according to His divine will. This covenantal faithfulness is a source of assurance and inspiration for believers, reminding them of God's steadfast love and purpose.

(72) To perform the mercy.--The verse has been thought, and with apparent reason, to contain a reference, after the manner of the ancient prophets (comp. Isaiah 8:3; Micah 1:10-15), to the name of the speaker, of his wife, and of his child. In "performing mercy," we find an allusion to John or Jochanan (= "The Lord be merciful"); in "remembering His holy covenant," to the name Zacharias (= "Whom Jehovah remembers"); in the "oath" of Luke 1:73, to that of Elizabeth or Elisheba (= "The oath of my God"). The play upon the words would, of course, be obvious in the original Hebrew (i.e., Aramaic) of the hymn, which we have only in its Greek version.

His holy covenant.--The covenant is clearly that made with Abraham in Genesis 15:18. In thus going back to that as the starting-point of the New Covenant which was to be made in Christ, Zacharias anticipates the teaching of St. Paul in Galatians 3:15-19. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
to show
ποιῆσαι (poiēsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

mercy
ἔλεος (eleos)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1656: Pity, mercy, compassion. Of uncertain affinity; compassion.

to
μετὰ (meta)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

our
ἡμῶν (hēmōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

fathers
πατέρων (paterōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

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

to remember
μνησθῆναι (mnēsthēnai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive
Strong's 3403: To remember, call to mind, recall, mention. A prolonged form of mnaomai; to remind, i.e. to recall to mind.

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.

holy
ἁγίας (hagias)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 40: Set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred. From hagos; sacred.

covenant,
διαθήκης (diathēkēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1242: From diatithemai; properly, a disposition, i.e. a contract.


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NT Gospels: Luke 1:72 To show mercy towards our fathers (Luke Lu Lk)
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