Luke 1:42 kjv
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
Luke 1:42 nkjv
Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Luke 1:42 niv
In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
Luke 1:42 esv
and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Luke 1:42 nlt
Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.
Luke 1 42 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Blessing/Favor | ||
| Gen 12:2-3 | "I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing." | God's promise to bless Abraham and his descendants. |
| Gen 22:18 | "and in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed..." | Abrahamic blessing extended through his "seed." |
| Psa 115:15 | "May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth!" | A declaration of God as the source of blessing. |
| Psa 118:26 | "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" | A prophetic greeting to the Messiah. |
| Luke 1:28 | "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." | Gabriel's initial address to Mary ("blessed one"). |
| Luke 1:45 | "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises." | Elizabeth's further blessing of Mary for her faith. |
| Luke 11:27-28 | "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you!... Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" | Crowds blessing Mary's motherhood, affirmed by Jesus with spiritual emphasis. |
| Gal 3:8 | "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you all the nations shall be blessed.'" | The ultimate fulfillment of Abrahamic blessing in Christ. |
| Eph 1:3 | "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." | All spiritual blessings come through Christ. |
| Spirit-filled Proclamation/Prophecy | ||
| Luke 1:41 | "And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit..." | Direct preceding verse, highlighting Spirit's presence. |
| Luke 1:67-68 | "And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, 'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people!'" | Zechariah's parallel Spirit-filled prophecy confirming divine intervention. |
| Acts 2:4 | "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." | Empowerment for speech through the Holy Spirit. |
| 1 Cor 12:8-11 | Describes gifts of the Spirit, including words of knowledge, wisdom, prophecy. | Illustrates various forms of Spirit-inspired utterance. |
| Joel 2:28-29 | "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy..." | Old Testament promise of the Spirit's outpouring leading to prophecy. |
| Fruit of the Womb/Offspring | ||
| Gen 3:15 | "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head..." | The protoevangelium: promise of the "seed of the woman" conquering evil. |
| Deut 7:13 | "He will bless the fruit of your womb..." | General blessing of children to Israel, but also foreshadowing. |
| Psa 127:3 | "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." | Children are a divine gift and blessing. |
| Isa 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 the virgin birth, identifying the unique "fruit of the womb." |
| Isa 9:6-7 | "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder..." | Messianic prophecy, emphasizing the significance of the child's birth. |
| Mic 5:2 | "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel..." | Prophecy pinpointing the origin of the coming ruler. |
Luke 1 verses
Luke 1 42 Meaning
Luke 1:42 records Elizabeth’s Spirit-filled proclamation upon Mary's arrival, affirming Mary's unique blessedness and the special divine nature of her unborn child, Jesus. It is a confirmation of God's miraculous work initiated through Gabriel's annunciation, emphasizing divine favor upon both Mary and the "fruit of her womb," which is Jesus.
Luke 1 42 Context
Luke 1:42 is situated within the "infancy narratives" of Luke's Gospel, specifically following Mary's annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) and her subsequent hurried journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth in Judea. Elizabeth, miraculously pregnant in her old age with John the Baptist (who leaped in her womb at Mary's greeting), is filled with the Holy Spirit and bursts forth with this declaration. It is a moment of divine recognition and spiritual affirmation, validating the supernatural events unfolding for both women and preparing the way for the Messiah's birth.
Luke 1 42 Word analysis
- And she spoke out: The Greek term is ἔκραξεν (ekraxen), an aorist active indicative form of κράζω (krazō). This is a strong verb, meaning to "cry out," "shout," or "exclaim." It suggests an immediate, forceful, and Spirit-prompted utterance, not merely quiet speech. It signifies an authoritative and public declaration.
- with a loud cry: This phrase, following "spoke out," reinforces the intensity and power of Elizabeth's voice. It emphasizes that this was not a casual remark but a profound, Spirit-inspired proclamation. It demonstrates the audible and undeniable nature of the Holy Spirit's activity.
- and said: A standard narrative connector.
- Blessed: The Greek word is εὐλογημένη (eulogēmenē), a perfect passive participle of εὐλογέω (eulogeō). This is more than a wish; it's a divine declaration, signifying "having been blessed" or "highly favored." It implies that divine blessing has already been bestowed upon Mary by God. This connects to the Old Testament concept of divine favor and blessing (Exo 23:25; Deut 28:1-14).
- are you among women: The phrase ἐν γυναιξίν (en gynaixin) highlights Mary's unique status among all women. She is not simply one of many blessed women, but singled out for a unique and unparalleled divine purpose. This does not elevate her above humanity, but rather distinguishes her within humanity for God's redemptive plan.
- and blessed is: Repetition of εὐλογημένος (eulogēmenos), emphasizing that the blessing extends from Mary to the child she carries, and is deeply connected to him. The divine favor rests equally on both for their unique roles in God's plan.
- the fruit of your womb: This is a Hebraism (ὁ καρπὸς τῆς κοιλίας σου - ho karpos tēs koilias sou) common in the Septuagint (LXX), directly meaning "child" or "offspring" (cf. Psa 127:3; Deut 7:13). Its use here highlights the Jewish context and continuity with Old Testament promises regarding descendants and seed. More profoundly, it connects to Gen 3:15, where the "seed of the woman" is promised to defeat evil, and to prophecies of the Messiah (Isa 7:14; Isa 9:6-7), making clear that the blessing is specifically upon Jesus as the long-awaited offspring.
Words-group analysis:
- "And she spoke out with a loud cry": This phrase signals a profound, Spirit-prompted utterance rather than normal conversation. It's a spontaneous burst of prophetic insight given by the Holy Spirit to Elizabeth. This is a dramatic entry point to her declaration, establishing its divine authority.
- "Blessed are you among women": This is a direct declaration of Mary's unique divine favor. Elizabeth, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, recognizes and validates Mary's unique call and blessedness. This affirmation comforts and confirms for Mary the astonishing words spoken to her by Gabriel.
- "and blessed is the fruit of your womb": This is the heart of Elizabeth's recognition. It moves beyond merely blessing Mary to directly blessing the child she carries. This highlights the unparalleled status of Jesus, even in the womb, and confirms His divine identity as the fulfillment of promises. This divine blessing confirms His holy nature and mission before His birth, signifying that He is specially appointed by God.
Luke 1 42 Bonus section
- The Greek verb for "blessed" (εὐλογέω) in its passive perfect participle form implies a completed action by God, signifying that Mary and her child have been blessed by Him, emphasizing divine initiative and an accomplished fact.
- This verse represents one of the first human acknowledgements of Jesus' unique identity, even while He is still in His mother's womb. It's a pre-natal prophetic declaration by a Spirit-filled witness.
- The "loud cry" can be understood as akin to prophetic utterances in the Old Testament, where God's Spirit powerfully moved individuals to declare divine truth. It aligns Elizabeth with figures like the prophets.
- The phrase "fruit of your womb" is a direct and tender acknowledgment of Jesus' humanity, while the accompanying blessing confirms His divine status and mission. This duality of human birth and divine purpose is central to Christian understanding of Christ.
Luke 1 42 Commentary
Luke 1:42 serves as a pivotal moment of divine validation within the Lukan infancy narrative. Elizabeth, an elderly woman who herself had experienced a miraculous pregnancy, becomes the Holy Spirit's instrument to affirm Mary's miraculous conception and the identity of her unborn child. Her "loud cry" underscores the divine inspiration and urgency of her proclamation. The double declaration of "blessed" (εὐλογημένη/εὐλογημένος) firstly emphasizes Mary's unique position, not because of inherent merit, but due to God's unparalleled choice for her to bear the Son of God. Secondly, it elevates Jesus, the "fruit of her womb," as supremely blessed and specially appointed by God. This expression, rich with Old Testament messianic connotations, firmly roots Jesus' identity in God's redemptive plan, presenting Him as the culmination of divine promises to Israel. This spontaneous, Spirit-filled utterance reinforces the miraculous nature of both pregnancies and confirms the authenticity of Gabriel's annunciation to Mary. It invites reverence for both Mary's singular role and, supremely, for Jesus, the blessed offspring.