Discovery BoxLuke 1:72-75 
Context1:72 He has done this 1 to show mercy 2 to our ancestors, 3
and to remember his holy covenant 4 –
1:73 the oath 5 that he swore to our ancestor 6 Abraham.
This oath grants 7
1:74 that we, being rescued from the hand of our 8 enemies,
may serve him without fear, 9
1:75 in holiness and righteousness 10 before him for as long as we live. 11
1 tn The words “He has done this” (referring to the raising up of the horn of salvation from David’s house) are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to allow a new sentence to be started in the translation. The Greek sentence is lengthy and complex at this point, while contemporary English uses much shorter sentences.
2 sn Mercy refers to God’s loyal love (steadfast love) by which he completes his promises. See Luke 1:50.
3 tn Or “our forefathers”; Grk “our fathers.” This begins with the promise to Abraham (vv. 55, 73), and thus refers to many generations of ancestors.
4 sn The promises of God can be summarized as being found in the one promise (the oath that he swore) to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3).
5 tn This is linked back grammatically by apposition to “covenant” in v. 72, specifying which covenant is meant.
6 tn Or “forefather”; Grk “father.”
7 tn Again for reasons of English style, the infinitival clause “to grant us” has been translated “This oath grants” and made the beginning of a new sentence in the translation.
8 tc Many important early
9 tn This phrase in Greek is actually thrown forward to the front of the verse to give it emphasis.
10 sn The phrases that we…might serve him…in holiness and righteousness from Luke 1:74-75 well summarize a basic goal for a believer in the eyes of Luke. Salvation frees us up to serve God without fear through a life full of ethical integrity.
11 tn Grk “all our days.”
