Luke 1:47-50

1:47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice ¹  in God my Savior,

1:48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. ² 

For ³  from now on ⁴  all generations will call me blessed, ⁵ 

1:49 because he who is mighty ⁶  has done great things for me, and holy is his name;

1:50 from ⁷  generation to generation he is merciful ⁸  to those who fear ⁹  him.

[1:47]  ¹ tn Or “rejoices.” The translation renders this aorist, which stands in contrast to the previous line’s present tense, as ingressive, which highlights Mary’s joyous reaction to the announcement. A comprehensive aorist is also possible here.

[1:48]  ² tn See the note on the word “servant” in v. 38.

[1:48]  ³ tn Grk “for behold.”

[1:48]  ⁴ sn From now on is a favorite phrase of Luke’s, showing how God’s acts change things from this point on (5:10; 12:52; 22:18, 69; Acts 18:6).

[1:48]  ⁵ sn Mary is seen here as an example of an object of God’s grace (blessed) for all generations.

[1:49]  ⁶ tn Traditionally, “the Mighty One.”

[1:50]  ⁷ tn Grk “and from.” Here καί (kai) has been translated by a semicolon to improve the English style.

[1:50]  ⁸ sn God’s mercy refers to his “loyal love” or “steadfast love,” expressed in faithful actions, as the rest of the psalm illustrates.

[1:50]  ⁹ tn That is, “who revere.” This refers to those who show God a reverential respect for his sovereignty.