Luke 1 · Verse 53

Luke 1:53

He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
Luke 1:53, King James Version

Luke 1:53 in other translations

BSBHe has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
WEBHe has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
ASVThe hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away.
YLTThe hungry He did fill with good, And the rich He sent away empty,
DARBYHe has filled the hungry with good things, and sent away the rich empty.
BBEThose who had no food he made full of good things; the men of wealth he sent away with nothing in their hands;
WebsterHe hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent away empty.

What does Luke 1:53 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 53. He hath (c) filled the hungry with good things. This is a celebration of the general mercy of God. He hath daily fed the poor, the needy, and those who came to him with humble hearts.

The rich he hath sent, &c. While the poor come to him for a supply of their daily wants, the rich come not that their necessities should be supplied, but come with lofty hearts, and insatiable desires that their riches may be increased. When this is the case, God not unfrequently not only withholds what they ask, but he takes their riches away by fire, or flood, or disappointments, and sends them away empty, Prov 23:5. It is better to be poor and go to God for our daily bread, than to be rich and forget our dependence on him, and to seek only a great increase of our property.

(c) 1Sam 2:5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 53 Filled the hungry - the rich he hath sent empty away - God is here represented under the notion of a person of unbounded benevolence, who is daily feeding multitudes at his gates. The poor and the rich are equally dependent upon him; to the one he gives his affluence for a season, and to the other his daily bread. The poor man comes through a sense of his want to get his daily support, and God feeds him; the rich man comes through the lust of gain, to get more added to his abundance, and, God sends him empty away - not only gives him nothing more, but often deprives him of that which he has, because he has not improved it to the honor of the giver. There is an allusion here, as in several other parts of this song, to the case of Hannah and Peninah, as related 1Sam 1:2, etc.; 1Sam 2:1-10.

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 1:53 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.

πεινῶνταςpeinōntas[Those] hungeringG3983
ἐνέπλησενeneplēsenHe has filledG1705
ἀγαθῶνagathōnwith good thingsG18
καὶkaiandG2532
πλουτοῦνταςploutountas[those] being richG4147
ἐξαπέστειλενexapesteilenHe has sent awayG1821
κενούς·kenousempty;G2756

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

Cross references for Luke 1:53

  • Psalms 107:8-9

    Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

  • Luke 6:21

    Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

  • Psalms 34:10

    The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

  • Luke 6:24

    But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

  • Matthew 5:6

    Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

  • Revelation 7:16-17

    They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

  • John 6:35

    And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:26

    For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

  • James 2:5-6

    Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

  • John 6:11-13

    And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

  • James 5:1-6

    Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. …

  • Luke 18:24-25

    And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
filled.
6:21; 1Sa 2:5; Ps 34:10; 107:8,9; 146:7; Eze 34:29; Mt 5:6
Joh 6:11-13,35; Jas 2:5; Re 7:16,17
and.
6:24; 12:16-21; 16:19-25; 18:11-14,24,25; 1Co 1:26; 4:8; Jas 2:6
Jas 5:1-6; Re 3:17,18

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

Context

  • Luke 1:52

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

  • Luke 1:53

    He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

  • Luke 1:54

    He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

Read all of Luke 1

Luke 1:53 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		A los hambrientos hinchió de bienes; y á los ricos envió vacíos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		il a rempli de biens ceux qui avaient faim, et il a renvoyé les riches à vide;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Hungrige hat er mit Gütern erfüllt, und Reiche leer fortgeschickt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Esurientes implevit bonis: et divites dimisit inanes.