Luke 1:55
What does Luke 1:55 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 1:55 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 1:55 means
Mary cites God’s promise to Abraham and his seed for ever. This directly invokes the Abrahamic covenant as the basis for God’s mercy and the present visitation. By referencing Abraham, Mary grounds the events in God’s enduring promises of blessing and land and seed. She perceives God’s faithfulness in fulfilling long-standing covenant commitments, demonstrating continuity between Israel’s past expectations and the present outworking in Christ’s coming.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000(As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed for ever.
KJV
King James Version · 1611As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901(As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed for ever.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949As he gave his word to our fathers.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862As He spake unto our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed--to the age.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752As he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890(as he spoke to our fathers,) to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
Context
This verse follows Mary’s reference to remembering mercy and spells out the specific covenant—Abraham’s—that guarantees God’s faithfulness. It links Mary’s experience with the historical chain of God’s promises, situating the Incarnation in covenantal theology. The Magnificat then concludes and Mary stays with Elisabeth.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Genesis 26:4
and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
- Genesis 28:14
and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
- Romans 11:28
As touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
- Psalms 132:11
Jehovah hath sworn unto David in truth; He will not turn from it: Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
- Galatians 3:16
Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
- Psalms 105:6
O ye seed of Abraham his servant, Ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
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