Luke 1:26-35
Bible Verses. Also called Luke 1:26-35, The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-35), Annunciation to Mary.
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Scripture quotation from the King James Version (KJV). Read this chapter
In this passage the angel Gabriel appears to Mary, a virgin of Nazareth, and announces that she will conceive a son by the Holy Spirit and is to name him Jesus. It is a principal text for the confession of the virgin birth and the Incarnation and is frequently read during Advent and Christmas.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Context
Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Luke sets two birth announcements side by side. First, Gabriel announces the birth of John the Baptist to the priest Zacharias in the temple (Luke 1:5-25). The present passage then describes how, "in the sixth month," the same angel came to Mary in Nazareth of Galilee. "The sixth month" refers to the sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy. Mary was betrothed to Joseph, of the house of David. The scene is commonly called the Annunciation. In verse 38, which follows, Mary answers, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."
Interpretation
- Testimony to the virgin birth: Most denominations read verses 34-35 as testimony that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit without relations with a man. The passage serves as a basis for the line in the Apostles' Creed, "conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary." Some interpreters hear in the word "overshadow" an echo of the scene in Exodus in which the cloud covered the tabernacle.
- The promise of messianic kingship: The phrases "the throne of his father David" and "of his kingdom there shall be no end" in verses 32-33 are read as continuing 2 Samuel 7, where David is promised an everlasting throne. In this reading, Jesus is presented as the promised king.
- Son of God: Verse 35 links the title "Son of God" to the manner of Jesus' conception. For this reason the verse is often cited in discussions of the Incarnation, in which God became man.
Debates and Issues
- Mary's status: The Catholic Church follows the Latin Vulgate's rendering of verse 28, "full of grace," and uses it as the opening of the Hail Mary. It also cites the verse as one of the biblical foundations for the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, proclaimed in 1854. Protestantism reads the same expression as describing one who has received God's grace. Protestants honor Mary as an example of faith and obedience but do not regard her as an object of veneration or intercession.
- Verse 34, "I know not a man": Some in the Catholic tradition have read these words as expressing an intention to remain a virgin for life. Protestants generally take them as describing her present state of not yet being married.
- Historicity: Some strands of twentieth-century liberal theology interpreted the virgin birth as a confessional or symbolic expression. Fundamentalism, by contrast, counted it among the essential doctrines that could not be conceded. In Korea, the major denominations generally accept it as historical fact in keeping with the confession of the Apostles' Creed.
- Translation: The Greek greeting chaire in verse 28 is an everyday salutation that also carries the sense of "rejoice." Accordingly, the Korean Revised Version tradition renders it as "be at peace," while some other translations lean toward "rejoice."
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean churches, the passage is frequently used as a sermon text during Advent and Christmas. The Annunciation scene is also commonly reenacted in Sunday school Christmas pageants. Paired with Mary's response in verse 38, it is often used in sermons emphasizing obedience and dedication.
Related Passages
See also 8
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