BLESSED IS SHE WHO BELIEVED

Passage: Luke 1:39-45

Key verse: 45

NIV

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,(A) 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.(B) 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,(C) and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord(D) should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into (A)the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth (B)was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, (C)“Blessed are you among women, and (D)blessed is (E)the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of (F)my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And (G)blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 1:45 Or believed, for there will be
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. A trip to see Elizabeth (39-41)

Mary realized that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit (35). She must have felt terribly alone. To whom could she turn? She could have sought human sympathy from Joseph or her parents or some friend, but she remembered the angel's message and decided to go to Elizabeth, her relative who lived in Judea. God had done great work in Elizabeth. Mary sought spiritual encouragement rather than human sympathy.

2. The baby in my womb leaped for joy (42-45)

When Mary arrived at the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth in the hill country of Judea, Elizabeth greeted her joyfully. She didn't need to be told what had happened. Mary was a younger cousin, but Elizabeth greeted her humbly as the 'mother of my Lord.' Baby John in her womb recognized baby Jesus in Mary's womb. Elizabeth blessed Mary because Mary believed God and she believed God's word of promise. Joy and praise come from faith. Mary stayed until the time came for John to be born.

Prayer: Lord, help me to seek the council and advice of your people rather than that of worldly people.

One Word: Blessed is she who believed