Luke 1:26 kjv
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Luke 1:26 nkjv
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
Luke 1:26 niv
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
Luke 1:26 esv
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
Luke 1:26 nlt
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,
Luke 1 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 1:19 | And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God... | Gabriel's role as God's special messenger. |
| Lk 1:36 | And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her... | Direct link to Elizabeth's pregnancy timing. |
| Dan 8:16 | And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. | Gabriel as an interpreter of divine vision. |
| Dan 9:21 | Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. | Gabriel's swift delivery of God's word. |
| Isa 7:14 | Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. | Prophecy of the virgin birth. |
| Mt 1:18 | Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph... | Corroborates Mary and Joseph's betrothal. |
| Mt 1:20 | But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream... | An angel also appeared to Joseph. |
| Mt 1:22-23 | Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child... | Fulfillment of Isa 7:14 concerning Mary. |
| Mt 2:23 | And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. | Jesus's association with Nazareth. |
| Jn 1:46 | And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? | Highlights Nazareth's humble reputation. |
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | And when thy days be fulfilled...I will set up thy seed after thee...I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. | Davidic Covenant of an eternal throne. |
| Psa 132:11 | The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. | God's promise concerning David's offspring. |
| Isa 11:1 | And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: | Prophecy of Messiah's Davidic lineage. |
| Jer 23:5 | Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign... | Another prophecy of the Messiah as a Davidic branch. |
| Rom 1:3 | Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; | Paul affirms Jesus's Davidic descent. |
| Rev 22:16 | I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. | Jesus self-identifies as David's offspring. |
| Gal 4:4 | But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman... | God's specific timing in sending His Son. |
| Heb 1:14 | Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? | Angels as ministering spirits, sent by God. |
| Lk 1:5-7 | There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias... and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron... and they had no child... | Contrasts Elizabeth's old age with Mary's virginity. |
| Mic 5:2 | But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth... | Bethlehem is where Jesus would be born, contrasting with Nazareth. |
| Phil 2:6-7 | Who, being in the form of God... but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant... | Illustrates Christ's humility, reflected in humble Nazareth. |
| Eph 1:9-10 | Having made known unto us the mystery of his will... that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ... | Highlights God's pre-ordained plan and timing. |
Luke 1 verses
Luke 1 26 Meaning
Luke 1:26 establishes the setting for the annunciation to Mary. It marks a pivotal moment six months into Elizabeth's pregnancy, when the angel Gabriel is sent directly from God to Nazareth in Galilee. The message is to be delivered to Mary, a virgin legally bound (espoused) to Joseph, a man identified as being from the esteemed house of David. Mary's name is then explicitly stated, identifying her as the chosen recipient of this divine message concerning the advent of the Messiah.
Luke 1 26 Context
Luke chapter 1 begins by detailing the angelic annunciation to Zechariah concerning the birth of John the Baptist, emphasizing God's divine timing and the incredulity that led to Zechariah's temporary muteness. The narrative then shifts from the Judean hills to Galilee, focusing on Mary. Luke 1:26 sets the stage six months into Elizabeth's pregnancy, drawing a chronological connection between the precursor John and the Messiah, Jesus. This transition marks the divine unfolding of God's redemptive plan, moving from the priestly lineage of John to the humble origins of Jesus, both orchestrated by God. Historically, Nazareth was a small, unassuming village in the region of Galilee, often looked down upon by those from Jerusalem or Judea. Its selection as the place for such a profound divine announcement underscores God's tendency to work through the seemingly insignificant.
Luke 1 26 Word analysis
- And (Gr. Kai): Connects the previous narrative about Zechariah and Elizabeth directly to the new, distinct, but related, annunciation. It signifies a continuation of God's overarching plan.
- in the sixth month: This precise temporal marker is significant. It links back to Elizabeth's conception (Lk 1:24) and establishes a clear timeline, placing Jesus' conception exactly six months after John the Baptist's. This emphasizes divine order and foreordination.
- the angel Gabriel: Specifies the divine messenger. Gabriel (Gavri'el in Hebrew, meaning "God is my strength" or "man of God") is one of only two angels named in Scripture (the other being Michael) and consistently serves as God's primary revelatory messenger, notably in Dan 8:16; 9:21 and Lk 1:11, where he delivered prophecies concerning the coming of both John and Jesus.
- was sent (Gr. apestalē): This verb, a passive form, signifies that Gabriel did not act on his own initiative but was divinely commissioned and dispatched by God. It underscores the active will and purposeful sending of God Himself.
- from God: Explicitly states the ultimate authority and source of Gabriel's mission, affirming the divine origin and importance of the message he was to deliver.
- unto a city of Galilee: A broader geographical indicator. Galilee was distinct from Judea and often seen as less pious or culturally significant by Judeans. Its remote location emphasizes the humble context of Jesus's advent.
- named Nazareth: A specific, small, and rather obscure village in Galilee (Jn 1:46). Its relative unimportance contrasts sharply with the magnitude of the event about to occur there, aligning with God's pattern of choosing the humble (1 Cor 1:27).
- to a virgin (Gr. pros parthenon): A critical term directly referencing the prophecy in Isa 7:14 and confirming the miraculous nature of the coming birth. Mary's marital status is central to the doctrine of the virgin birth of Christ. The term parthenos unequivocally refers to a sexually untouched woman.
- espoused (Gr. emnēsteumenēn): Implies a formal, binding engagement or betrothal, legally considered as binding as marriage but without the sexual cohabitation. This status was crucial as it gave Mary protection and legitimacy within her community, while legally connecting Jesus to Joseph's Davidic lineage without requiring a biological father.
- to a man whose name was Joseph: Identifies Mary's legal husband-to-be. Joseph plays a critical role as the legal father of Jesus and guardian, ensuring Jesus's connection to the promised Davidic line through his lineage (Mt 1:1-16; Lk 3:23-38).
- of the house of David: This phrase refers to Joseph's ancestral lineage, confirming his descent from King David. This is immensely significant, as the Messiah was prophesied to come from David's line (2 Sam 7:12-16; Jer 23:5; Rom 1:3), establishing Jesus's royal claim.
- and the virgin's name was Mary: Fully identifies the recipient of Gabriel's announcement. Mary's (Gr. Mariam or Maria, Hebrew Miriam, possibly meaning "bitter" or "beloved") personal name marks her as the chosen instrument in God's plan.
Luke 1 26 Bonus section
The journey of God's favor shifts from the temple in Jerusalem, where Zechariah, a priest, receives his annunciation, to a private dwelling in the humble Galilean town of Nazareth. This geographic and social shift reinforces a common biblical pattern: God's redemptive work often bypasses human expectations and social prominence, moving from the established religious elite to ordinary, overlooked individuals and places. While Zechariah was filled with doubt due to his advanced age, Mary's primary identity as a virgin presented a different challenge to human understanding, yet God's plan unfolds perfectly in both instances. The synchronicity with Elizabeth's pregnancy further solidifies the deliberate nature of God's timeline, connecting the herald directly to the King, long before their public ministries.
Luke 1 26 Commentary
Luke 1:26 functions as the divine staging for the miraculous Incarnation. God, acting on His own initiative, sends Gabriel, His designated messenger for significant revelations, to an unexpected place: Nazareth. This choice underscores a profound theological theme in Scripture: God often chooses the humble and the obscure to accomplish His grandest purposes (1 Cor 1:27). The timing, "in the sixth month," precisely connects Jesus's coming to John the Baptist's, revealing God's pre-planned, intertwined timetable for His divine drama of redemption.
The core recipient of this message is Mary, described as a virgin yet espoused to Joseph, a descendant of King David. This status highlights the unique nature of Jesus's conception – conceived by the Holy Spirit while maintaining the integrity of prophetic fulfillment that the Messiah would come from David's royal line, legally through Joseph. This verse lays the groundwork for understanding not only the supernatural birth of Christ but also His royal identity, orchestrated with precision and purpose by the Almighty. It marks the commencement of the active fulfillment of centuries of prophecy, a divine intrusion into human history with the intent of salvation.