The Meaning of Luke 1:49 Explained

Luke 1:49

KJV: For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

YLT: For He who is mighty did to me great things, And holy is His name,

Darby: For the Mighty One has done to me great things, and holy is his name;

ASV: For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  he that is mighty  hath done  to me  great things;  and  holy  [is] his  name. 

What does Luke 1:49 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The second strophe ( Luke 1:49-50) glorifies God for His power, holiness, and mercy. Here are more reasons future generations would call Mary blessed. The Mighty One had done great things for her (cf. Psalm 24:8; Zephaniah 3:17). Furthermore His name (i.e, His person) is holy. God is holy or different from humans in that He is high above all others, especially in His moral and ethical perfection (cf. Psalm 99:3; Psalm 103:1; Psalm 111:9; Isaiah 57:15).

Context Summary

Luke 1:39-56 - The Song Of The Virgin Mother
Zacharias lived in a Levitical city in the hill country of Judah. The narrative evidently implies that there had been no previous communication between the two women of what had happened. In their greeting both were led and taught of the Spirit.
Evidently Mary was living in close familiarity with the Scriptures. Often she had been deeply moved by their radiant promises, and had pleaded that God would at last help His people and send the Savior. Now that this blessing had come to her, she voiced her thanks, not only under the express inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but in the familiar expressions of Scripture. No others would have sufficed. Compare Hannah's song of praise, under similar circumstances, 1 Samuel 2:1-10. This song is called the Magnificat, that being the first word in the Latin version. Wonder and praise, humility and exultation, adoration and congratulation-these colors chase one another in the heart of this jewel. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 1

1  The preface of Luke to his whole gospel
5  The conception of John the Baptist;
26  and of Jesus
39  The prophecy of Elisabeth and of Mary, concerning Jesus
57  The nativity and circumcision of John
67  The prophecy of Zachariah, both of Jesus,
76  and of John

What do the individual words in Luke 1:49 mean?

For has done to me great things the Mighty One And holy [is] the name of Him
ὅτι ἐποίησέν μοι μεγάλα δυνατός καὶ ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ

ἐποίησέν  has  done 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
μοι  to  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
μεγάλα  great  things 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
δυνατός  Mighty  One 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: δυνατός  
Sense: able, powerful, mighty, strong.
ἅγιον  holy  [is] 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἅγιος  
Sense: most holy thing, a saint.
ὄνομα  name 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.