Luke 1:41-44

¹ tn Grk “And it happened that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here either.

² sn When the baby leaped John gave his first testimony about Jesus, a fulfillment of 1:15.

³ tn The antecedent of “her” is Elizabeth.

⁴ sn The passage makes clear that Elizabeth spoke her commentary with prophetic enablement, filled with the Holy Spirit.

⁵ tn Grk “and she.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁶ tn Grk “and she exclaimed with a great cry and said.” The verb εἶπεν (eipen, “said”) has not been included in the translation since it is redundant in contemporary English.

⁷ sn The commendation Blessed are you among women means that Mary has a unique privilege to be the mother of the promised one of God.

⁸ tn Grk “fruit,” which is figurative here for the child she would give birth to.

⁹ tn Grk “From where this to me?” The translation suggests the note of humility and surprise that Elizabeth feels in being a part of these events. The ἵνα (Jina) clause which follows explains what “this” is. A literal translation would read “From where this to me, that is, that the mother of my Lord comes to visit me?”

¹⁰ tn Grk “for behold.”

¹¹ tn Grk “when the sound of your greeting [reached] my ears.”

¹² sn On the statement the baby in my womb leaped for joy see both 1:14 and 1:47. This notes a fulfillment of God’s promised word.