Luke 11:27
in Luke 11As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and blessed are the breasts that nursed You!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck.
KJV
And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
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This verse in Luke 11
Commentary
20 notes on this verseNow, as Marcion was apprehensive that a belief of the fleshly body would also involve a belief of birth, undoubtedly He who seemed to be man was believed to be verily and indeed born. For a certain woman had exclaimed, "Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked!" And how else could they have said that His mother and His brethren were standing without? But we shall see more of this in the proper place.
This site's exposition
a woman in the crowd raised her voice
on Luke 11:27-28
Jesus redirects a woman's praise of His mother to those who hear the word of God and obey it. The Magnificat had already called Mary blessed on those terms, so obedient hearing becomes the higher honor open to every hearer.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, "Blessed is the womb that bore you," he replied, "Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it."Finally, for his brothers, his relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in him, of what advantage was that relationship? Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart than in her flesh.
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 11.10 · Written before 373.
proposed
"Blessed is the womb that bore you." He took blessedness from the one who bore him and gave it to those who were worshiping him. It was with Mary for a certain time, but it would be with those who worshiped him for eternity. "Blessed …
Besides, how could His kingdom be still standing, with its boundaries, and laws, and functions, whom, even if the whole world were left entire to Him, Marcion's god could possibly seem to have overcome as "the stronger than He," if it were not in consequence of His law that even Marcionites were constantly dying, by returning in their dissolution to the ground, and were so often admonished by even a scorpion, that the Creator had by no means been overcome? "A (certain) mother of the company exclaims, `Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked; 'but the Lord said, `Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.'" Now He had in precisely similar terms rejected His mother or His brethren, whilst preferring those who heard and obeyed God.
But there is also another view of the case: in the abjured mother there is a figure of the synagogue, as well as of the Jews in the unbelieving brethren. In their person Israel remained outside, whilst the new disciples who kept close to Christ within, hearing and believing, represented the Church, which He called mother in a preferable sense and a worthier brotherhood, with the repudiation of the carnal relationship. It was in just the same sense, indeed, that He also replied to that exclamation (of a certain woman), not denying His mother's "womb and paps," but designating those as more "blessed who hear the word of God."
Knowing therefore these things, let us neither pride ourselves on children that are of good report, unless we have their virtue; nor upon noble fathers, unless we be like them in disposition. For it is possible, both that he who begat a man should not be his father, and that he who did not beget him should be. Therefore in another place also, when some woman had said, "Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked;" He said not, "The womb bare me not, neither did I suck the paps," but this, "Yea rather, blessed are they that do the will of my Father." Seest thou how on every occasion He denies not the affinity by nature, but adds that by virtue?
13 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church5 voices
While the Pharisees and scribes disparage the miracles of the Lord, a woman, a guileless and simple person, glorifies Him. Where are those who say that the Lord appeared in mere semblance? For behold the testimony that He was even nursed at the breast!
It happened that, as he was saying these things, a certain woman from the crowd lifted up her voice and said to him: "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you." This woman is shown to be of great devotion …
While the Scribes and Pharisees were tempting our Lord, and uttering blasphemies against Him, a certain woman with great boldness confessed His incarnation, as it follows, And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, &c. by which she refutes both the calumnies of the rulers present, and the unbelief of future heretics. For as then by blaspheming the works of the Holy Spirit, the Jews denied the true Son of God, so in after times the heretics, by denying that the Evervirgin Mary, by the cooperating power of the Holy Spirit, ministered of the substance of her flesh to the birth of the only-begotten Son, have said, that we ought not to confess Him who was the Son of man to be truly of the same substance with the Father. But if the flesh of the Word of God, who was born according to the flesh, is declared alien to the flesh of His Virgin Mother, what cause is there why the womb which bare Him and the paps which gave Him suck are pronounced blessed? By what reasoning do they suppose Him to be nourished by her milk, from whose seed they deny Him to be conceived? Whereas according to the physicians, from one and the same fountain both streams are proved to flow. […]
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 6 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
In Luke: "A certain woman from the crowd, raising her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you." And Jesus said: "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it." Not only …
And it came to pass, etc. After the expression of Jewish fraud and the reprobation of the expressed fraud, the Evangelist here adds the commendation of open truth. And this indeed was fitting, so that, with the truth made manifest, Truth itself manifesting itself might …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
48 ), All generations shall call me blessed; some even of this generation, bad as it was. Note, To all that believe the word of Christ the person of Christ is precious, and he is an honour, 1 Pet. ii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
And it came to pass as he spoke these things,....
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
A certain woman - One of the crowd. Blessed is the womb ... - She thought that the “mother” of such a person must be especially happy in having such a son. Yea, rather blessed ... - Jesus admits that she was happy - that it was an honor to be his mother, but he says that the chief happiness, the highest honor, was to obey the word of God. Compared with this, all earthly distinctions and honors are as nothing. Man’s greatest dignity is in keeping the holy commandments of God, and in being prepared for heaven.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
A woman is brought before us in this passage of Scripture, of whose name and history we know nothing. We read that, as our Lord spoke, "A certain woman of the company lifted up her voice and said unto him: Blessed is the mother that gave you birth." At once our Lord founds a great lesson on her remark. His perfect wisdom turned every incident within His reach to profit. We should observe in these verses — how great are the privileges of those who hear and keep God's Word.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
A woman is brought before us in this passage of Scripture, of whose name and history we know nothing. We read that, as our Lord spoke, "A certain woman of the company lifted up her voice and said unto him: Blessed is the mother that gave you birth." At once our Lord founds a great lesson on her remark. His perfect wisdom turned every incident within His reach to profit. We should observe in these verses — how great are the privileges of those who hear and keep God's Word. They are regarded by Christ with as much honor as if they were His nearest relatives. It is more blessed to be a believer in the Lord Jesus — than it would have been to have been one of the family in which He was born after the flesh. It was a greater honor to Mary herself, to have Christ dwelling in her heart by faith — than to have been the mother of Christ, and to have nursed Him on her bosom. We are generally very slow to receive truths like these. We are apt to imagine that to have seen Christ, and heard Christ, and lived near Christ, and been a relative of Christ according to the flesh — would have had some mighty effect upon our souls. We are all naturally inclined to attach great importance to a religion of sight, and sense, and touch, and eye, and ear . We love a physical, tangible, material Christianity — far better than one of faith. And we need reminding that seeing is not always believing. Thousands saw Christ continually, while He was on earth, and yet clung to their sins. Even His brethren at one time "did not believe in him." (John 7:5.) A mere fleshly knowledge of Christ, saves no one. The words of Paul are very instructive, "Though we have known Christ after the flesh — yet we do not know Him any more in this way." (2 Corinthians 5:16.)
You do not wonder that this enthusiastic woman lifted up her voice in admiration of our Lord. I sometimes wonder when the Gospel is preached—whose message is so sweet, so charming, so enchanting—that we do not more often observe earnest persons breaking the cold rules of propriety and uttering exclamations of delight. Few are the hosannas of the multitude today. Is the blood of the world growing colder as the ages tell upon it? Perhaps our western constitution is too cool and self-contained to allow us to copy the demonstrative manners of the East.
You do not wonder that this enthusiastic woman lifted up her voice in admiration of our Lord. I sometimes wonder when the Gospel is preached—whose message is so sweet, so charming, so enchanting—that we do not more often observe earnest persons breaking the cold rules of propriety and uttering exclamations of delight. Few are the hosannas of the multitude today. Is the blood of the world growing colder as the ages tell upon it? Perhaps our western constitution is too cool and self-contained to allow us to copy the demonstrative manners of the East. Assuredly this woman is not to be blamed, but to be commended for pouring out her heart's love in honor of the Lord! The wonder is not that she spoke as she did, but that men who hear the teaching of Jesus do not more often speak in His praise! Of our blessed Lord, His enemies said, "Never man spoke like this Man." His very tone was melody and His language was the Truth of God set to music! The doctrines which He taught were more than golden—they were light to the head and joy to the heart. He revealed the inmost heart of God and taught as never Prophet or sage had taught before. Oh, "certain woman of the company," though we do not know your name and cannot guess at your history, we are in harmony with your outburst of affection! We thank you for giving utterance to that feeling of delight and admiration with which we are filled. We also cry unto the Lord with you—"Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts which nursed You." This earnest woman did not mean, in the first place, to praise Christ's mother. I do not know that she had even seen Mary, or that she would have entered into her mind, apart from her matchless Son.
A certain woman - lifted up her voice, and said - It was very natural for a woman, who was probably a mother, to exclaim thus. She thought that the happiness of the woman who was mother to such a son was great indeed; but our blessed Lord shows her that even the holy virgin could not be benefited by her merely being the mother of his human nature, and that they only were happy who carried Christ in their hearts. True happiness is found in hearing the glad tidings of salvation by Christ Jesus, and keeping them in a holy heart, and practising them in an unblamable life.
The words behind it
26 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἐγένετο | egeneto | It came to pass | G1096 → | 667 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐν | en | while | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λέγειν | legein | [is] saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | He | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ταῦτα, | tauta | these things, | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἐπάρασά | eparasa | having lifted up | G1869 → | 19 times |
| τις | tis | one | G5100 → | 528 times |
| φωνὴν | phonen | [her] voice | G5456 → | 139 times |
| γυνὴ | gune | a woman | G1135 → | 211 times |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὄχλου | ochlou | crowd | G3793 → | 175 times |
| εἶπεν | eipen | said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| αὐτῷ· | auto | to Him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| μακαρία | makaria | Blessed [is] | G3107 → | 50 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κοιλία | koilia | womb | G2836 → | 22 times |
| ἡ | he | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βαστάσασά | bastasasa | having borne | G941 → | 27 times |
| σε, | se | You, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μαστοὶ | mastoi | [the] breasts | G3149 → | |
| οὓς | hous | at which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐθήλασας. | ethelasas | You nursed. | G2337 → |
ἘγένετοIt came to pass
egenetoG1096 →667 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐνwhile
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
λέγειν[is] saying
legeinG3004 →1325 times
αὐτὸνHe
autonG846 →5565 times
ταῦτα,these things,
tautaG3778 →1381 times
ἐπάρασάhaving lifted up
eparasaG1869 →19 times
τιςone
tisG5100 →528 times
φωνὴν[her] voice
phonenG5456 →139 times
γυνὴa woman
guneG1135 →211 times
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
ὄχλουcrowd
ochlouG3793 →175 times
εἶπενsaid
eipenG2036 →925 times
αὐτῷ·to Him;
autoG846 →5565 times
μακαρίαBlessed [is]
makariaG3107 →50 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
κοιλίαwomb
koiliaG2836 →22 times
ἡwhich
heG3588 →19766 times
βαστάσασάhaving borne
bastasasaG941 →27 times
σε,You,
seG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μαστοὶ[the] breasts
mastoiG3149 →
οὓςat which
housG3739 →1405 times
ἐθήλασας.You nursed.
ethelasasG2337 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 1:28The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
it leads to
- Judges 6:12
And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
- Daniel 10:19
“Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord,…
- Luke 1:30
So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
- Ephesians 1:6
to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
- Daniel 9:21–23
while I was still praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.
- Judges 6:12
Through
Luke 1:48For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.
it leads to
- Psalms 138:6
Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
- Malachi 3:12
“Then all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight,” says the LORD of Hosts.
- 1 Corinthians 1:26–28
Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.
- Psalms 138:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About Luke

This page draws on 19 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Luke; Augustine of Hippo, On Holy Virginity 3; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 6; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 11; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1920: “Believers as Blessed as the Blessed Virgin” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 11.10; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 44; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book III; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book IV; Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.
