Forgive sins (Lk 1:77-1:77)

“You will give

Knowledge

Of salvation

To his people,

By the forgiveness

Of their sins.”

 

τοῦ δοῦναι γνῶσιν σωτηρίας τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀφέσει ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν

 

Luke continued Zechariah’s canticle about the future of John.  Zechariah said that his new born son, John, would give knowledge of salvation (τοῦ δοῦναι γνῶσιν σωτηρίας) to his people (τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ) by the forgiveness of their sins (ἐν ἀφέσει ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν).  Zechariah predicted the kind of preaching that John would later give about salvation coming from repentance and the forgiveness of sins.