Luke 1 · Verse 51

Luke 1:51

He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
Luke 1:51, King James Version

Luke 1:51 in other translations

BSBHe has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
WEBHe has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
ASVHe hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.
YLTHe did powerfully with His arm, He scattered abroad the proud in the thought of their heart,
DARBYHe has wrought strength with his arm; he has scattered haughty ones in the thought of their heart.
BBEWith his arm he has done acts of power; he has put to flight those who have pride in their hearts.
WebsterHe hath shown strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

What does Luke 1:51 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 1:46-55

46-55. A magnificent canticle, in which the strain of Hannah's ancient song, in like circumstances, is caught up, and just slightly modified and sublimed. Is it unnatural to suppose that the spirit of the blessed Virgin had been drawn beforehand into mysterious sympathy with the ideas and the tone of this hymn, so that when the life and fire of inspiration penetrated her whole soul it spontaneously swept the chorus…

Read the full comment on Luke 1:46-55 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 51. (z) Hath showed strength with his arm. The arm is the symbol of strength. The expression in this and the subsequent verses has no particular reference to his mercy to Mary. From a contemplation of his goodness to her, she enlarges her views to a contemplation of his goodness and power in general, and to a celebration of the praises of God for all that he has done to all men. This is the nature of true piety. It does not terminate in thinking of God's mercy toward ourselves. It thinks of others, and praises God that others also are made partakers of his mercy, and that his goodness is manifested to all his works.

He (a) scattereth the proud. He hath often done it in time of battle and war. When the proud Assyrian, Egyptian, or Babylonian had come against the people of God, he had often scattered them and driven away their armies.

In the imagination of their hearts. Those who were lifted up or exalted in their own view. Those who thought themselves to be superior to other men.

(z) Ps 98:1, Is 51.9, 52:10, 63:5 (a) 1Sam 2:9, Dan 4:37

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 51 He hath showed strength - Or, He hath gained the victory, εποιησε κρατος. The word κρατος is used for victory, by Homer, Hesiod, Sophocles, Euripides, and others. With his arm - Grotius has well observed, that God's efficacy is represented by his finger, his great power by his hand, and his omnipotence by his arm. The plague of lice was the finger of God, Exo 7:18. The plagues in general were wrought by his hand, Exo 3:20, And the destruction of Pharaoh's host in the Red Sea, which was effected by the omnipotence of God, is called the act of his arm, Exo 15:16. He hath scattered - Διεσκορπισεν, hath scattered abroad; as a whirlwind scatters dust and chaff. The proud - Or haughty, ὑπερηφανους; from ὑπερ above, and φαινω I show - the haughty men, who wish to be noticed in preference to all others, and feel sovereign contempt for all but themselves. These God scatters abroad - instead of being in his sight, as in their own, the most excellent of the earth, he treats them as straw, stubble, chaff, and dust. In the imagination of their hearts - While they are forming their insolent, proud, and oppressive projects - laying their plans, and imagining that accomplishment and success are waiting at their right hand, the whirlwind of God's displeasure blows, and they and their machinations are dissipated together.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 1:39-56

It is very good for those who have the work of grace begun in their souls, to communicate one to another. On Mary's arrival, Elisabeth was conscious of the approach of her who was to be the mother of the great Redeemer. At the same time she was filled with the Holy Ghost, and under his influence declared that Mary and her expected child were most blessed and happy, as peculiarly honoured of and dear to the Most High…

Read the full comment on Luke 1:39-56 →

Luke 1:51 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐποίησενepoiēsenHe has shownG4160
κράτοςkratosstrengthG2904
ἐνenwithG1722
βραχίονιbrachioni[the] armG1023
αὐτοῦ·autouof Him;G846
διεσκόρπισενdieskorpisenHe has scatteredG1287
ὑπερηφάνουςhuperēphanous[the] proudG5244
διανοίᾳdianoiain [the] thoughtG1271
καρδίαςkardiasof heartG2588
αὐτῶν·autōnof them;G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 1:51

  • Psalms 98:1

    A Psalm. O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

  • Isaiah 52:10

    The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

  • 1 Samuel 2:3-4

    Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

  • Isaiah 51:9

    Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

  • Romans 1:21

    Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

  • Exodus 15:6-7

    Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

  • Daniel 4:37

    Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

  • 1 Samuel 2:9-10

    He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

  • Isaiah 63:12

    That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?

  • Isaiah 10:12-19

    Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. …

  • Job 40:9-12

    Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

  • Exodus 18:11

    Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
shewed.
Ex 15:6,7,12,13; De 4:34; Ps 52:9; 63:5; 89:13; 98:1; 118:15
Isa 40:10; 51:9; 52:10; 63:12; Re 18:8
he hath scattered.
Ex 15:9-11; 18:11; 1Sa 2:3,4,9,10; Job 40:9-12; Ps 2:1-6; 33:10
Ps 89:10; Isa 10:12-19; Jer 48:29,30; Da 4:37; 5:25-31; 1Pe 5:5
the imagination.
Ge 6:5; 8:21; De 29:19,20; Ro 1:21; 2Co 10:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 1:50

    And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

  • Luke 1:51

    He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

  • Luke 1:52

    He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

Read all of Luke 1

Luke 1:51 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Hizo valentía con su brazo: esparció los soberbios del pensamiento de su corazón.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il a agi puissamment par son bras; il a dispersé les orgueilleux dans la pensée de leur cœur;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er hat Macht geübt mit seinem Arm; er hat zerstreut, die in der Gesinnung ihres Herzens hochmütig sind.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fecit potentiam in brachio suo: dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.