Luke 1:21 kjv

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

Luke 1:21 nkjv

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.

Luke 1:21 niv

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.

Luke 1:21 esv

And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.

Luke 1:21 nlt

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.

Luke 1 verses

Luke 1 21 Meaning

Luke 1:21 describes the scene outside the Holy Place in the Jerusalem Temple. While Zechariah, the priest, was inside performing the sacred incense offering, the worshipping people gathered in the outer court were anxiously waiting for his reappearance. Their "wondering at his delay" signifies their growing perplexity and concern over his prolonged stay, which deviated from the expected priestly custom of swiftly concluding the service and delivering the Aaronic blessing. This verse sets up the reveal of Zechariah's temporary muteness and the divine encounter that had just taken place.

Luke 1 21 Context

Luke 1:21 is set within the opening chapter of Luke's Gospel, detailing the circumstances surrounding the birth of John the Baptist. Prior to this verse, Zechariah, an aged priest of the division of Abijah, and his wife Elizabeth, were righteous but childless. While Zechariah was on duty, serving alone in the Holy Place within the Temple's sanctuary (a rare and highly honored privilege to offer incense), he was visited by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel announced that Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a son, John, who would prepare the way for the Lord. Zechariah, despite his righteousness, doubted the angel's message due to his and Elizabeth's advanced age. As a sign and consequence for his unbelief, Gabriel declared that Zechariah would be unable to speak until the day John was born (Luke 1:11-20). The scene then shifts to the outside, where the public, having observed the priest enter, is now waiting for his return to perform the customary blessing after the incense offering. Zechariah's prolonged absence inside the Holy Place, far exceeding the typical time, directly prompts the "wondering" mentioned in verse 21.

Luke 1 21 Word analysis

• And (Καί - Kai): A simple conjunction, connecting this event to the preceding narrative. It indicates a direct continuation of the scene: Zechariah's angelic encounter inside directly impacts the waiting congregation outside.
• the people (ὁ λαὸς - ho laos): Refers to the collective assembly of Jewish worshippers gathered in the temple courts. This was not a random crowd but the covenant people of Israel participating in corporate prayer during the incense offering. They represented the community keenly aware of Temple protocols.
• were waiting (ἦν προσδοκῶντες - ēn prosdokōntes): The Greek uses the imperfect tense of prosdokaō, meaning "to look forward to, await, expect." This indicates a continuous, ongoing action – they had been waiting, and their wait was now extended beyond the norm. Their expectation was based on established priestly practice.
• for Zechariah (τὸν Ζαχαρίαν - ton Zacharian): Highlights Zechariah's specific role as the serving priest. He was the focus of their attention and the one expected to emerge and bless them.
• and they were wondering (καὶ ἐθαύμαζον - kai ethaumazon): The imperfect tense of thaumazō signifies an ongoing state of wonder, perplexity, or amazement. Their surprise wasn't fleeting; it was building as the delay persisted. This wonder arose from the break in normal ritual procedure, hinting that something extraordinary, even unsettling, might have occurred.
• at his delay (ἐν τῷ χρονίζειν αὐτὸν - en tō chronizein auton): Literally "in the tarrying/delaying of him." Chronizō means "to delay, to tarry, to spend time." This precisely points to the cause of their wonder – Zechariah's unusual and uncustomary lingering in the Holy Place. Priestly duties involving incense were to be executed with efficient reverence; any deviation would be notable. This abnormal delay subtly signifies a break from the predictable routine of human worship due to divine intervention.
• in the temple (ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ - en tō hierō): Refers to the Temple precinct, but specifically here, it implicitly points to the Holy Place, the innermost chamber of the main Temple building (accessible only to priests) where the altar of incense stood. The people waited in the outer courts. This spatial distinction emphasizes the separation between Zechariah's solitary, sacred encounter and the public, expectant congregation. The specific locale reinforces the solemnity and divine ordering of the space.

Luke 1 21 Bonus section

• The expectation for Zechariah to come out and bless the people underscores the critical role of the priestly blessing in Israelite worship. The Aaronic Blessing (Num 6:23-27) was a deeply meaningful pronouncement of God's grace and protection upon His people. The people's wait was not just for Zechariah's appearance but for this specific spiritual assurance.
• The chronizō (delay/tarrying) of Zechariah implicitly becomes a prophetic sign, reflecting the prolonged silence of God and the cessation of prophetic utterances that had largely marked the intertestamental period. Zechariah's private "tarrying" with an angel ushers in the end of this period, announcing new divine speech and action.
• The reaction of "wondering" at his delay can also carry a spectrum of meanings, from simple curiosity to astonishment and awe, hinting at the powerful, even frightening, nature of a divine encounter. The people intuitively sensed that something out of the ordinary, perhaps even a vision, had occurred, reinforcing the dramatic tension of the scene.

Luke 1 21 Commentary

Luke 1:21 provides the crucial human reaction to a profound divine event. Zechariah's prolonged stay in the Holy Place was an unusual occurrence that drew immediate attention from the waiting congregation. Priestly service at the incense altar was a swift, solemn, and solitary duty, typically concluding with the priest emerging to pronounce the Aaronic blessing over the people. The people's "waiting" (prosdokaō) expresses their standard expectation for this ritual to conclude. Their "wondering" (thaumazō) highlights their increasing unease and curiosity over his unusual chronizō or delay. This natural human perplexity serves to magnify the divine intervention that transpired inside.

The very public delay, while a private miracle occurred within, subtly prepares the way for the profound changes coming with John and Jesus. It underscores that God's work, even if initiated in private, will invariably manifest with public implications. The disruption of religious routine signifies the impending new spiritual epoch – a time where God would speak, and act, in powerful, unexpected ways, even temporarily silencing a priest to achieve His purposes. The silence inside (Zechariah's muteness) contrasted with the growing murmurs of wonder outside creates a tangible sense of anticipation for what is about to be revealed. This tension exemplifies how divine power can intersect and disrupt established religious expectations, always for a greater purpose. For instance, sometimes in our own lives, when we experience an inexplicable "delay" or disruption in our normal routines, it can be God preparing a space for His greater, unseen work to manifest.