Luke 1:52
What does Luke 1:52 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 1:52 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 1:52 means
Mary continues: God has removed princes from their thrones and exalted those of low degree. This describes royal and social reversal—God lifts the humble and humbles the powerful. It emphasizes divine sovereignty over human hierarchies and promises a reordering in line with God’s justice. Mary sees God’s action as redistributive mercy, aligning history with covenantal righteousness rather than human power structures.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000He hath put down princes from their thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree.
KJV
King James Version · 1611He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901He hath put down princes from their thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949He has put down kings from their seats, lifting up on high the men of low degree.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862He brought down the mighty from thrones, And He exalted the lowly,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890He has put down rulers from thrones, and exalted the lowly.
Context
After speaking of scattering the proud, Mary gives the concrete outcome: princes are displaced, and the lowly are exalted. This strengthens the Magnificat’s theme of reversal. The next verse will add economic reversal—filling the hungry and emptying the rich—completing the moral picture.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- James 1:9
But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate:
- Psalms 113:6
That humbleth himself to behold The things that arein heaven and in the earth?
- Ezekiel 17:24
And all the trees of the field shall know that I, Jehovah, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I, Jehovah, have spoken and have done it.
- 1 Samuel 2:4
The bows of the mighty men are broken; And they that stumbled are girded with strength.
- Psalms 107:40
He poureth contempt upon princes, And causeth them to wander in the waste, where there is no way.
- Amos 9:11
In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old;
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