1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, 1 the angel Gabriel 2 was sent by 3 God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 4
2:39 So 5 when Joseph and Mary 6 had performed 7 everything according to the law of the Lord, 8 they returned to Galilee, to their own town 9 of Nazareth. 10
1 tn Grk “in the sixth month.” The phrase “of Elizabeth’s pregnancy” was supplied in the translation to clarify the exact time meant by this reference. That Elizabeth’s pregnancy is meant is clear from vv. 24-25.
2 sn Gabriel is the same angel mentioned previously in v. 19. He is traditionally identified as an angel who brings revelation (see Dan 8:15-16; 9:21). Gabriel and Michael are the only two good angels named in the Bible.
3 tn Or “from.” The account suggests God’s planned direction in these events, so “by” is better than “from,” as six months into Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God acts again.
4 sn Nazareth was a town in the region of Galilee, located north of Samaria and Judea. Galilee extended from about 45 to 85 miles north of Jerusalem and was about 30 miles in width. Nazareth was a very small village and was located about 15 miles west of the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee.
map For location see Map1-D3; Map2-C2; Map3-D5; Map4-C1; Map5-G3.
5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.
6 tn Grk “when they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tn Or “completed.”
8 sn On the phrase the law of the Lord see Luke 2:22-23.
9 tn Or “city.”
10 map For location see Map1-D3; Map2-C2; Map3-D5; Map4-C1; Map5-G3.
11 tn Or “were adamant.” For “persisted in saying,” see L&N 68.71.
12 sn He incites the people. The Jewish leadership claimed that Jesus was a political threat and had to be stopped. By reiterating this charge of stirring up rebellion, they pressured Pilate to act, or be accused of overlooking political threats to Rome.
13 tn Grk “beginning from Galilee until here.”
14 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
15 tn Technically the participle ὁρῶσαι (Jorwsai) modifies only γυναῖκες (gunaike") since both are feminine plural nominative, although many modern translations refer this as well to the group of those who knew Jesus mentioned in the first part of the verse. These events had a wide array of witnesses.
16 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
17 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.