What Does Luke 1:16 Mean in the King James?
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The turn is movement toward the God already named as theirs, not toward a stranger they must make their own.
THE MEANING
Many among Israel are turned toward the Lord, their God: a movement of life toward the One already named as theirs. The turning is more than a thought; the person’s direction changes.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie this undoes is that turning toward God means approaching a stranger or earning a new belonging; the verse calls him “their God” before naming the turn.
THE ROOT
ἐπιστρέψει
epistrepsei
GROWS FROM
στρέφω
strephō
To turn, twist, or change direction.
“turn” in this verse is epistrepsei. The verb in this verse combines the turning root with a prefix that points the motion toward the Lord. The same root can describe turning away or turning toward, so the direction, not the act of turning alone, reveals the change taking place.
ALSO GROWS
apostrephō: Turn away or turn aside.
ἀποστρέφω
This related verb uses the same turning root to describe movement away, highlighting the direction toward the Lord in this verse.
epistrophē: Turning or return.
ἐπιστροφή
This noun form names the turn as a movement in its own right, showing that the verse describes a reorientation.
THE PATTERN
Turning toward God changes the direction of a life and loosens its hold on former allegiances.
Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;THE THREAD
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.Luke uses the same turning verb when John turns fathers’ hearts toward their children. The turn toward God also reaches human relationships: its direction becomes visible between people.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us