Bible Strands
Luke 1:22
When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Zechariah exits the temple and joins the crowd that has been waiting for him. The people observe his silence and recognize he has seen a vision in the temple.
The words — ἐδύνατο (edunato) means "he was able," and λαλῆσαι (lalēsai) means "to speak." The text explicitly states he was not able to speak to them.
The thread — The practice of communicating through gestures runs through Luke 1:62, John 13:24, and Acts 12:17. These passages document how physical motions substitute for speech during moments of divine interruption or high tension.
Why it lands — The text reports that Zechariah remained unable to speak while making signs to the crowd. A reader must acknowledge that divine encounters can temporarily suspend normal human function before drawing any theological conclusion.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
Cross-references
- Luke 1:62 So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
- John 13:24 So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus which one He was talking about.
- Acts 12:17 Peter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Send word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for another place.
- Acts 19:33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people.
- Acts 21:40 Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew: