Devine Scripture

Luke 1:39

What does Luke 1:39 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 1:39 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 1:39 means

Mary quickly travels into the hill country to a city of Judah to visit Zacharias and Elisabeth. Her haste signals eagerness and pastoral concern. The journey links Galilee with Judea and physically connects Jesus’ and John’s families. Mary’s visit shows practical faith—she seeks out the one whose pregnancy was a sign for her. The journey also brings together two expectant mothers who will affirm God’s work and who together will give voice to prophecy and praise.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Then Mary got up and went quickly into the high lands, to a town of Judah;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And Mary having arisen in those days, went to the hill-country, with haste, to a city of Judea,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,

Context

After accepting the angel’s word, Mary’s immediate action is to visit Elisabeth. This travel unites the two annunciations emotionally and theologically, allowing a mutual recognition of God’s purposes. The next verses narrate the encounter and its prophetic responses.

v.38And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

v.39This passage

v.40and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Joshua 10:40

    So Joshua smote all the land, the hill-country, and the South, and the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Jehovah, the God of Israel, commanded.

  • Joshua 20:7

    And they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron) in the hill-country of Judah.

  • Luke 1:65

    And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judæa.

  • Joshua 21:9

    And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name:

  • Joshua 15:48

    And in the hill-country, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,

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