Luke 1:35 kjv

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:35 nkjv

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:35 niv

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:35 esv

And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy ? the Son of God.

Luke 1:35 nlt

The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.

Luke 1 verses

Luke 1 35 Meaning

Luke 1:35 describes the unique, supernatural conception of Jesus Christ. It states that the Holy Spirit, as the divine agent, would empower Mary, and the transcendent power of God (the Most High) would supernaturally effect the conception. The result of this divine action would be a perfectly holy being, who would consequently be designated and known as the Son of God, signifying His unique divine origin and nature.

Luke 1 35 Context

Luke 1:35 is part of the Annunciation narrative, where the angel Gabriel delivers a message to Mary, a virgin betrothed to Joseph. This message precedes Jesus' birth, immediately following the prophecy that Mary will conceive a child despite her virginity. The verse serves as God's answer to Mary's natural question, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34). It establishes the unique divine intervention for the Incarnation, contrasting it sharply with any natural means of conception. This sets the theological stage for understanding Jesus' unique identity, His divine origin, and His future role as the promised Messiah and Son of God, while simultaneously establishing His full humanity. Culturally, it spoke to a Jewish audience expecting a human Messiah while powerfully rejecting pagan myths of divine-human procreation.

Luke 1 35 Word analysis

• The Holy Spirit (τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον - to Pneuma to Hagion): "Spirit" (Πνεῦμα - Pneuma) refers to the divine Third Person of the Trinity. "Holy" (Ἅγιον - Hagion) emphasizes His divine nature and purity, being entirely separate from sin and evil. The phrase points to the direct and active agency of God in the conception, aligning with Old Testament imagery of the Spirit as the source of life and divine action (Gen 1:2; Ps 104:30).
• will come upon (ἐπελεύσεται - epeleusetai): This Greek verb denotes a strong, forceful, yet gentle divine coming or descending upon. It indicates a supernatural initiation and a divine overshadowing power, not a natural process. It implies a divine embrace and endowment of power, setting the conception apart as entirely God's work.
• and the power (καὶ δύναμις - kai dynamis): "Power" (δύναμις - dynamis) signifies inherent, miraculous, and omnipotent ability. This is God's divine energy and might in action, the source of all miracles. It emphasizes the absolute effectiveness of God's creative word and will in Mary's conception.
• of the Most High (Ὑψίστου - Hypsistou): "Most High" (Ὕψιστος - Hypsistos) is a common Greek Septuagint translation for the Hebrew El Elyon, an Old Testament name for God. It stresses God's supreme sovereignty, transcendence, and absolute authority over all creation. It clarifies that this is an act of the ultimate, sovereign God, confirming the unique divine origin.
• will overshadow (ἐπισκιάσει - episkiazei): This verb literally means "to cast a shade upon" or "to envelop in a cloud." In biblical usage, particularly the Septuagint, it is frequently associated with the visible manifestation of God's presence, the Shekinah glory (Ex 40:35, cloud covering the Tabernacle; Matt 17:5, cloud overshadowing during Transfiguration). It implies God's personal, intimate, and protective presence causing a miraculous effect, protecting Mary, and divinely generating life. It definitively excludes any human sexual act.
• Therefore also (διὸ καὶ - dio kai): This phrase signifies a direct consequence. Because of the unique divine nature of the conception, the outcome will be holy.
• the holy one (τὸ ἅγιον - to hagion): Refers to Jesus, not just as consecrated, but inherently pure and entirely free from the stain of sin, from the very moment of His conception. This holiness is a direct result of His divine origin, untouched by the corrupted fallen human nature.
• to be born (γεννώμενον - gennōmenon): The present participle "to be born" indicates that the holiness described is intrinsic to Jesus' very being from the point of His miraculous birth, a direct outcome of the divine creative act.
• will be called (κληθήσεται - klēthēsetai): "Will be called" often indicates "will be recognized as," or "will be in truth." This signifies both designation and intrinsic reality.
• Son of God (Υἱὸς Θεοῦ - Huios Theou): This is a climactic title indicating Jesus' unique relationship with God as His divine Father. It is not merely a title of status or adoption, but proclaims His unique divine nature and origin. The divine paternity of Jesus is explicitly stated, distinguishing Him from all other humans and fulfilling Old Testament messianic prophecies (e.g., Ps 2:7).

• "The Holy Spirit will come upon you": This phrase highlights the Holy Spirit's direct, creative, and immediate action in Mary. It speaks to divine initiative and empowerment, rather than a passive event. This supernatural indwelling effect of the Spirit bypasses human paternity, setting the stage for a unique conception.
• "and the power of the Most High will overshadow you": This phrase functions as a parallel to the first part, intensifying and explaining how the Spirit acts. "Overshadow" with "the power of the Most High" makes it clear that the event is God's personal, almighty, and miraculous work. It emphasizes the direct intervention of God Himself, protecting Mary and forming the child. This imagery subtly contrasts with pagan narratives of divine-human unions which typically involve physical contact; here, divine presence and power alone create life, preserving Mary’s virginity.
• "Therefore the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God": This statement presents the divine paternity and inherent sinlessness of Jesus as a direct, logical consequence of His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and the Most High. The holiness refers to His intrinsic nature, unsullied by original sin, directly derived from His divine Father. Being called "Son of God" signifies His unique divine identity, pre-existence, and ultimate deity, affirming He is uniquely begotten of God Himself in human flesh. This profound theological statement establishes Jesus' true humanity (born of Mary) and true divinity (Son of God).

Luke 1 35 Bonus section

The creative power described in Luke 1:35 echoes God's original creative acts in Gen 1:2, where the Spirit "hovered over the waters," bringing forth life from nothing or chaos. This parallel establishes Jesus' conception as a "new creation" moment. The statement implies that Jesus' sinless nature is a direct result of His divine paternity; He does not inherit the Adamic fallen nature, as His conception is entirely by the Holy Spirit. This verse also implicitly refutes common Jewish expectations of a Messiah conceived in the ordinary human way, presenting instead a uniquely divine intervention that elevates Jesus' status beyond merely a great prophet or king, affirming His ontological divine Sonship at the moment His human life began.

Luke 1 35 Commentary

Luke 1:35 provides the essential explanation for the virgin birth, asserting its divine origin rather than a natural one. The agency of the Holy Spirit, coupled with the "power of the Most High," ensures that Jesus' conception is a unique, unblemished creative act of God. The imagery of "overshadowing" conveys a profound divine presence and action, distinct from human procreation, affirming Mary's perpetual virginity in the act of conception while confirming God's direct intervention. The result is the birth of "the holy one," indicating Jesus' intrinsic sinlessness and moral perfection from conception, making Him distinct from all other humans born with inherited sin. His subsequent title, "Son of God," directly stemming from this supernatural origin, declares His unique divine identity and inherent deity. This verse is crucial for understanding the Incarnation – the hypostatic union of true humanity and full divinity in one person – and stands as a foundational truth about Jesus' identity as both truly human and truly God from the moment of His conception. It distinguishes Christian belief from any humanistic or pagan notions of a 'son of god'.