Luke 1:49 kjv
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
Luke 1:49 nkjv
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.
Luke 1:49 niv
for the Mighty One has done great things for me? holy is his name.
Luke 1:49 esv
for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
Luke 1:49 nlt
For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
Luke 1 49 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 24:8 | Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. | God's attribute of might/power. |
| Jer 32:17 | Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm... nothing is too hard for thee. | God's unlimited power. |
| Eph 3:20 | Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. | God's abundant ability to act. |
| Psa 71:19 | Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things... | God's great deeds. |
| Psa 126:2-3 | Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing... The LORD hath done great things for us... | God's wondrous actions for His people. |
| Acts 2:11 | Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. | God's magnificent works proclaimed. |
| Psa 105:5 | Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders... | God's memorable deeds. |
| 1 Sam 12:24 | Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth... for consider how great things he hath done for you. | Exhortation to remember God's great acts. |
| Lev 19:2 | Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. | God's fundamental holiness. |
| 1 Sam 2:2 | There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. | Unique holiness of God. |
| Isa 6:3 | And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts... | Angels proclaiming God's perfect holiness. |
| Psa 111:9 | He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. | Reverence for God's holy character. |
| Psa 99:3,5,9 | Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy... worship at his footstool; for he is holy... worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy. | Acknowledging God's holiness. |
| Isa 57:15 | For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy... | God's dwelling place and name are holy. |
| Rev 4:8 | And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him... and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty... | Continual declaration of God's holiness. |
| Psa 8:1 | O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! | Magnifying God's name. |
| Exo 3:15 | And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers... this is my name for ever... | God reveals His eternal name/character. |
| Psa 113:7-8 | He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set him with princes... | God exalting the humble. |
| 1 Sam 2:8 | He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes... | Echo of Hannah's prayer concerning the humble. |
| Luke 1:52 | He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. | God's reversal of human status (contextual). |
| Jam 4:6 | But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. | God's favor for the humble. |
Luke 1 verses
Luke 1 49 Meaning
Luke 1:49 is part of Mary's Magnificat, a hymn of praise and prophecy. This verse expresses Mary's profound reason for exalting God: He is the omnipotent and righteous one who has performed an extraordinary deed in her life—the miraculous conception of Jesus. She declares that because of His power and wondrous actions, His character, His very being, is unequivocally holy and deserves all reverence and recognition.
Luke 1 49 Context
Luke 1:49 is an integral part of Mary's "Magnificat" (Luke 1:46-55), a song of praise she utters when she visits her relative Elizabeth, who is also miraculously pregnant with John the Baptist. Immediately before this verse, Mary declares, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 1:46-47), acknowledging her personal experience of God's grace. She also reflects on her humble status: "For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed" (Luke 1:48). Verse 49, therefore, provides the foundational reason why she magnifies the Lord and why she is blessed: it is because of the mighty deeds performed by a holy God. This song parallels Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2, foreshadowing God's character as one who reverses human expectations, exalts the humble, and demonstrates His power. The historical and cultural context underscores the immense faith required for a young, betrothed virgin in a Judean village to accept such a divine commission and to praise God for it, understanding the profound theological implications of His name and actions.
Luke 1 49 Word analysis
- For (ὅτι - hoti): A causal conjunction, indicating the reason or ground for Mary's preceding joyful proclamation. It links her exultation directly to God's powerful and holy nature.
- he that is mighty (ὁ δυνατὸς - ho dynatos): This refers specifically to God. Dynatos signifies powerful, strong, able, or potent. It highlights God's inherent omnipotence and capacity to act definitively and supernaturally, emphasizing His divine sovereignty over all things, including human limitations and natural laws. This title distinguishes Him from any earthly ruler or power.
- hath done (ἐποίησεν - epoiesen): The aorist indicative form of the verb "to do" or "to make." It signifies a completed action with immediate relevance. Mary is speaking of a specific, tangible act—the conception of Jesus within her womb, a deed solely attributable to God's power and not to human agency or merit.
- to me (μοι - moi): The dative pronoun "to me" emphasizes the intensely personal and specific nature of God's intervention in Mary's life. This "great thing" is not a general act, but one directed individually and graciously toward her humble person.
- great things (μεγαλεῖα - megaleia): The plural form of megaleion, meaning "great deeds," "magnificent works," "wonders," or "mighty acts." This term is used elsewhere in the New Testament to describe God's wondrous deeds (e.g., in Acts 2:11, referring to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit). For Mary, the greatest of these things is her bearing of the Messiah, which signals God's ultimate salvation plan. These are not merely significant events but divine, awe-inspiring interventions.
- and holy (καὶ ἅγιον - kai hagion): The conjunction "and" links God's powerful acts with His character. Hagion means "holy," "sacred," "set apart," signifying purity, distinctness, and absolute moral perfection. It asserts that all of God's actions, including the seemingly impossible one within Mary, stem from and are consistent with His intrinsically pure and righteous nature.
- is his name (τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ - to onoma autou): In biblical thought, "name" (onoma in Greek, shem in Hebrew) represents the entire essence, character, reputation, authority, and presence of a person. To say "holy is His name" is a profound theological declaration. It means God's entire being, His attributes, His fame, His reputation, His very identity, is consecrated, pure, revered, and set apart from all that is common or sinful. It encompasses both His intrinsic nature and the way He reveals Himself.
Luke 1 49 Bonus section
This verse underscores a key theological pattern in scripture: God, in His might, often works through the seemingly weak and insignificant (Mary's "low estate," Luke 1:48). This act of choosing a humble maiden to bear the Son of God is itself a "great thing" and perfectly consistent with His holy character, which is just and true in all His ways. The emphasis on "his name" also draws a strong parallel to Old Testament covenants where God reveals His character and nature through His names and His mighty acts for Israel, linking Mary's personal experience to the broader narrative of salvation history. Her recognition that "holy is his name" suggests that this particular act confirms and demonstrates God's consistent holiness revealed throughout scripture.
Luke 1 49 Commentary
Luke 1:49 captures Mary's deep theological insight and faith, a central pillar of the Magnificat. It is not a boast of personal merit but an adoration of God's character and power. The verse moves from acknowledging God's omnipotent doing ("hath done... great things") to praising His eternal being ("holy is his name"). This progression reveals that God's actions are an outflow of who He fundamentally is. His "great things" for Mary (and implicitly, for all humanity through Christ) are a demonstration of His divine holiness, which commands awe and worship. Mary understands that the miraculous conception is not a mere event but a direct manifestation of God's inherent purity, power, and faithfulness to His covenant. It emphasizes that salvation originates solely from the mighty and holy God, working uniquely for His redemptive purposes in unexpected ways, particularly by favoring the humble.