Translation
After asking for a writing tablet he wrote, saying, “His name is JOHN.” Everyone marveled at this.
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
After asking for a writing tablet he wrote his response, which was, “his name is GOD IS GRACIOUS.” This caused quite a commotion among everyone who was there.
Footnotes
1: "everyone marveled at this”
This word contains both a sense of awed amazement, and an act of pondering, or wondering about something. These two ideas go together to show people who have witnessed something unexpected, or unexplainable and then asked themselves, “what does this mean?” Not only was everyone amazed at the unprecedented choice of a name, but they wondered “Why?” If they could not figure out a “good” reason, some were probably allowing themselves to be angered by it. Despite the miracle that had allowed Elizabeth to get pregnant, some were thinking only about maintaining the pride of the family line. However, what happened next was another miraculous demonstration of God’s power which proved very effective at shutting the mouths of those who had been resisting this choice of a name.