Luke 1:31 kjv
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luke 1:31 nkjv
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
Luke 1:31 niv
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
Luke 1:31 esv
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
Luke 1:31 nlt
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
Luke 1 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Is 7:14 | "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." | Prophecy of virgin birth and God's presence. |
| Mt 1:18 | "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." | Confirmation of virgin conception by the Holy Spirit. |
| Mt 1:21 | "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." | Divine command for the name "Jesus" and its meaning. |
| Lk 1:28 | "And having come in, the angel said to her, 'Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!'" | Gabriel's initial address to Mary, highlighting God's favor. |
| Lk 1:30 | "Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'" | Gabriel reassures Mary before the profound announcement. |
| Lk 1:32 | "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David." | Continuation of the prophecy: Jesus' greatness and kingship. |
| Lk 1:35 | "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God." | Explanation of the supernatural conception. |
| Gen 3:15 | "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." | Proto-evangelium, prophecy of the "seed of the woman." |
| Deut 18:18 | "I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him." | Prophecy of a great Prophet, fulfilled in Jesus. |
| Jn 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." | Incarnation of God (the Word) becoming human. |
| Jn 1:29 | "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'" | Jesus' identity as Savior, taking away sins. |
| Acts 4:12 | "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." | Uniqueness and necessity of salvation through Jesus. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..." | The exalted name of Jesus and His universal Lordship. |
| Heb 7:25 | "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." | Jesus' ongoing work as Savior and Intercessor. |
| Is 9:6 | "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." | Prophecy of the Messiah's divine titles and kingship. |
| Ps 2:7 | "I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.'" | Divine Sonship of the Messiah. |
| Mic 5:2 | "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." | Prophecy of Messiah's birthplace and eternal origin. |
| 1 Cor 15:21-22 | "For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive." | Jesus as the new Adam, bringing life and resurrection. |
| Rom 5:19 | "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous." | Jesus' obedience brings righteousness and life. |
| Jn 20:31 | "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." | The purpose of Scripture: belief in Jesus for eternal life. |
Luke 1 verses
Luke 1 31 Meaning
This verse declares a pivotal moment in human history: the angelic announcement by Gabriel to Mary, foretelling the supernatural conception and birth of her son. It directly instructs Mary that she will conceive a son without a male partner and command that she is to name Him Jesus. This divinely mandated name encapsulates the child's identity and His future salvific mission, signifying that He is the promised Messiah, God's Anointed One, through whom salvation would come to humanity.
Luke 1 31 Context
Luke 1:31 is part of the angel Gabriel's annunciation to Mary (Lk 1:26-38). This event occurs six months after Gabriel's appearance to Zechariah concerning the birth of John the Baptist (Lk 1:5-25). Mary, a virgin betrothed to Joseph, is chosen by God for an unparalleled role. The preceding verses (Lk 1:28-30) establish Gabriel's address to Mary, her troubled reaction, and the angel's reassurance. Verse 31 specifically begins the astounding revelation of how she would conceive and what the child's name would be. Historically and culturally, the Jewish people eagerly awaited the Messiah, a descendant of David who would restore Israel's kingdom. The idea of a virgin birth was unprecedented within normal Jewish understanding, emphasizing the supernatural nature of this particular messianic advent. The giving of a name by divine command (as with Ishmael, Isaac, and John the Baptist) signaled the child's special purpose and God's sovereign control.
Luke 1 31 Word analysis
- kai (καὶ - and): A simple conjunction that introduces the direct command following the angel's assurance and the previous announcement that Mary had found favor with God. It signifies a continuation of the divine message.
- idou (ἰδοὺ - behold!): An imperative interjection, calling for immediate and special attention to the pronouncement about to be made. It functions to highlight the astounding and significant nature of the coming revelation.
- syllēmpsē (συλλήμψῃ - you will conceive): This is a future active indicative verb. The future tense highlights the certainty and divine certainty of the event, distinguishing it from a wish or a possibility. The verb signifies conception, and its context implies a supernatural rather than natural means for a virgin.
- en gastri (ἐν γαστρί - in your womb/belly): This phrase specifies the physical location of the conception and highlights the very personal nature of the event for Mary. It indicates a real, physical pregnancy, though divinely initiated.
- kai texē (καὶ τέξῃ - and you will give birth/bear): Another future active indicative verb, following logically from "you will conceive." It states the inevitable outcome of the pregnancy – the actual delivery of a child.
- huion (υἱόν - a son): The accusative singular masculine noun emphasizes that the child's gender is male. This detail is crucial for His identity as the Davidic Messiah (a male descendant of David) and His role as the promised "seed" in prophecy.
- kai kaleseis (καὶ καλέσεις - and you will call/name): A future active indicative verb indicating that Mary herself will perform the act of naming. This is a divinely mandated instruction, not merely a suggestion. In biblical custom, naming often implied authority, ownership, or signified the nature and destiny of the person.
- to onoma (τὸ ὄνομα - the name): The definite article "the" emphasizes that it is a specific, divinely appointed name. The name is intrinsic to the child's identity and mission.
- autou (αὐτοῦ - his): The genitive personal pronoun specifying that the name belongs to the conceived son.
- Iēsoun (Ἰησοῦν - Jesus): The accusative form of the Greek name 'Iēsous'. This is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ), a shortened form of Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ), which means "YHWH saves" or "YHWH is salvation." This name reveals the very purpose and mission of the child: He is God's personal intervention for the salvation of His people from their sins (Mt 1:21).
Words-group analysis:
- "kai idou syllēmpsē en gastri kai texē huion": This clause represents the astounding angelic declaration of a supernatural conception and birth. The use of "behold" stresses the incredible nature of what is to happen – a virgin conceiving by divine power, distinct from natural procreation, resulting in the birth of a specific male child. It underscores God's direct intervention in human affairs and His ability to achieve the impossible.
- "kai kaleseis to onoma autou Iēsoun": This phrase highlights the divine mandate regarding the child's name. It is not left to human choice, but is predetermined by God, signifying the child's essential identity and mission as "Savior." The act of Mary calling Him "Jesus" is an act of obedience to God's will and an affirmation of the child's saving purpose before His birth.
Luke 1 31 Bonus section
- This verse stands as a testament to the miraculous power of God, who intervenes in human limitations (Mary's virginity) to accomplish His divine will.
- The selection of Mary, a humble young woman from Nazareth, a seemingly insignificant town, reflects God's pattern of choosing the weak and lowly to demonstrate His great strength, as seen in many instances throughout the Bible.
- The angel Gabriel, whose name means "God is my strength," is often associated with announcing key moments in God's redemptive plan (also appears to Daniel and Zechariah), underscoring the divine power behind these announcements.
- The deliberate naming by God, rather than by human parents' choice, immediately sets Jesus apart as having a divinely ordained identity and purpose, rather than one defined by human lineage or ambition. This theme of divine naming is consistently present for significant biblical figures whose lives carry a specific divine mandate.
Luke 1 31 Commentary
Luke 1:31 delivers a core prophecy concerning the coming Messiah: He would be miraculously conceived and born to a virgin, Mary. The direct instruction to "call his name Jesus" is profound, encapsulating His salvific purpose from His very conception. The name Jesus, derived from "YHWH saves," proclaims His divine mission as the long-awaited rescuer. This verse is not just an announcement of a birth, but a divine naming, establishing the identity of the child as the one who brings God's salvation. It foreshadows His future work of delivering humanity from sin and death, emphasizing that this extraordinary child is God’s answer to the world's greatest need. The command signifies God's absolute sovereignty over the plan of redemption, starting with the identity of the very Son Himself.