Devotion on Luke 1:37

Luke 1

English Standard Version

Dedication to Theophilus
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,[a] of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realised that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed[b] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!”[c] 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[d]
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[e] will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[f] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into 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 was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of 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 blessed is she who believed that there would be[g] a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47  and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbours. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us[h] from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

1. Luke 1:5 Greek Zacharias
2. Luke 1:27 That is, legally pledged to be married
3. Luke 1:28 Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women!
4. Luke 1:34 Greek since I do not know a man
5. Luke 1:35 Some manuscripts add of you
6. Luke 1:38 Greek bondservant; also verse 48
7. Luke 1:45 Or believed, for there will be
8. Luke 1:78 Or when the sunrise shall dawn upon us; some manuscripts since the sunrise has visited us

The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.

Luke 1:37. “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

1. Exegesis

The setting. Gabriel speaks to Mary after announcing that she will bear Jesus, the promised Davidic king and Son of God. Her question concerns how this can happen while she is a virgin. Gabriel explains the Holy Spirit’s action, points to Elizabeth’s pregnancy in old age, and then gives the assurance of Luke 1:37. Elizabeth’s conception confirms God’s power, but Jesus’ virginal conception is a distinct miracle (Luke 1:26–38).

The English Standard Version wording. “For” connects the assurance to the preceding explanation: God’s power makes the announced birth possible. “Nothing” excludes human limitations as obstacles to his purpose. “Will be impossible” assures Mary about what God is about to accomplish. “With God” places confidence in God, not in Mary’s strength or the intensity of her faith. The verse affirms divine omnipotence; its immediate focus is the fulfilment of this particular saving promise.

Language and promise. The Greek noun rhēma can refer to a word or a matter. The English Standard Version renders the expression with “nothing,” emphasising impossibility overcome by God. The surrounding references to God’s message and Mary’s response keep that power closely connected to his promise (Luke 1:38, 45). This supports, rather than replaces, the English Standard Version wording. The verse also echoes God’s assurance concerning Sarah in Genesis 18:14.

The chapter and the Gospel. Zechariah’s unbelief contrasts with Mary’s receptive trust (Luke 1:18–20, 34–38, 45). Mary’s praise and Zechariah’s prophecy connect these births with mercy, the promises to Abraham, David’s house, and forgiveness (Luke 1:46–55, 67–79). Across Luke, God’s power serves salvation, culminating in Jesus’ suffering, resurrection, and the proclamation of repentance and forgiveness to all nations (Luke 18:26–27; 24:1–8, 44–47). This is a gospel assurance, not a slogan for personal success.

2. Theological Teaching

God’s power is holy and sovereign. God can accomplish everything consistent with his nature and will. Omnipotence does not mean that he can become sinful or contradict himself. Read this verse in relation to God’s character, purposes, and promises. Christian theology likewise holds together his almighty power, wisdom, and holiness.

Salvation begins with grace. God sends Gabriel, grants Mary favour, and brings about the conception by the Holy Spirit. Mary receives God’s word; she does not make it effective. Her trust and obedience are responses to grace, not achievements that earn it (Luke 1:26–38). Jesus is the holy Son and promised king. In Christian confession, his conception begins his human life, not his existence as the eternal Son. Luke 1:35 identifies who this child is; it does not imply that God creates a new divine person.

Faith rests on God, not itself. Mary models humble reception of God’s promise (Luke 1:38, 45). Saving faith rests in Christ, rather than in our ability to produce certainty. Luke later locates the possibility of salvation in God’s power (Luke 18:26–27). These broader doctrinal conclusions should be distinguished from the immediate subject of Luke 1:37: the promised birth of Jesus.

3. Practical Application to Modern Christian Living

Distinguish promises from preferences. When facing illness, infertility, financial pressure, or a strained relationship, ask what God has actually promised. Luke 1:37 does not guarantee recovery, pregnancy, prosperity, or reconciliation on demand. Pray honestly for help, while submitting the outcome to the Father, as Jesus did (Luke 22:39–42). Persistent suffering is not proof of inadequate faith.

Trust actively. Dependence on God is not passivity. Seek appropriate medical care, wise advice, practical assistance, and support from your church. Christian teaching recognises that God ordinarily works through means, while remaining free to act beyond them. Choose one faithful action today rather than waiting for every uncertainty to disappear.

Let grace shape your conduct. Mary’s praise directs attention to God’s mercy towards the humble and hungry (Luke 1:46–55). Let confidence in his power lead to generosity, patient service, and care for overlooked people. Shape desires by God’s word, and turn his promises into prayer. Christian hope rests in the risen Jesus, not in favourable circumstances (Luke 24:1–8).

4. Meditation Guide

Read slowly. Read Luke 1:26–38,
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed[b] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
then return to Luke 1:37.
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Notice who speaks, what God promises, and how Mary responds. Keep the verse within the announcement of Jesus’ birth.

Reflect. What obstacle occupies my attention? Am I treating my preferred outcome as God’s promise? What does this passage teach me about Jesus and the reliability of God’s word?

Give thanks and confess. Thank God for sending his Son. Confess both despair that treats God as powerless and presumption that treats him as obliged to fulfil your wishes. Bring doubts honestly to him.

Pray. Father, thank you for keeping your saving promise in Jesus. Help me trust your power and goodness when I cannot see the way ahead. Correct my misplaced expectations, sustain me in suffering, and make me willing to obey your word. By your Spirit, lead me to serve others with humility and hope. Amen.

Respond and review. Write down one action: seek help, offer practical care, or fulfil a neglected responsibility. At day’s end, ask whether trust expressed itself in prayer, love, and obedience, rather than whether circumstances improved. Return to Mary’s response in Luke 1:38.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. Used by permission. All rights reserved.