Luke 1:52

“he has brought down rulers from thrones and exalted the lowly;”

Luke 1:52 · direct translation from the Greek
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Mary sings that God brings down the mighty and lifts up the lowlyHumility and Service

With the Greek beneath

52

Allusion · 1 Samuel 2:5-8

Go to 1 Samuel 2:5-8

Mary’s song and Hannah’s share images and words: the hungry filled, the lowly lifted up, the rich and the thrones.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

  • πεινῶνταςpeinōntasG3983רְעֵבִיםreevimH7457“be hungry”
  • θρόνωνthronōnG2362כִסֵּאjiseH3678“throne”
  • ὕψωσενhypsōsenG5312מְרוֹמֵםmeromemH7311“exalt”
  • πλουτοῦνταςploutountasG4147מַעֲשִׁירmaashirH6238“be rich, become rich”

Luke 1:52, word by word

he has brought downκαθεῖλενkatheilen

tear down

To pull down; remove someone from their place.

Where else “katheilen” appears
rulersδυνάσταςdynastas

sovereign

One who holds power; of God, the only one who reigns.

Where else “dynastas” appears
thronesθρόνωνthronōn

throne

Throne: the seat of a king or a judge; hence royal power.

Where else “thronōn” appears
exaltedὕψωσενhypsōsen

exalt

To give honor and a high place to someone.

Where else “hypsōsen” appears
the lowlyταπεινούςtapeinous

humble, lowly

Humble, lowly, of low position.

Where else “tapeinous” appears

The context

51He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their heart;

52 · This verse (above)

53the hungry he has filled with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

Read all of Luke 1

To study Luke 1 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What does the angel Gabriel tell Mary about the son she will have, and how does she answer at the end? (vv. 30-38)

  2. 2. What it means

    Why do you think Zechariah was left unable to speak while Mary was not, when both asked the angel a question? (vv. 18-20, 34-38)

  3. 3. How I live it

    Which promise of God is hard for you to believe today, and what small step could you take in trust, like Mary?

How to use it