New Testament · Gospel

Luke 11:27

Teach Us to Pray

As 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!” Luke 11:27 · Berean Standard Bible
What It Means

Luke 11:27, in plain English

A woman in the crowd shouts out how blessed Jesus' mother must be to have raised someone like Him. It's a beautiful, spontaneous compliment -- but Jesus is about to redirect it.

Why it's here

In that culture, praising someone's mother was the highest compliment. The woman is genuinely awestruck by Jesus and expresses it the most natural way she knows.

Who's speaking

An unnamed woman calls out from the crowd, overcome with admiration for Jesus.

Where it sits in the story

This is a warm, human moment in the middle of heavy theological debate. But Jesus uses it to make an important point about what truly makes someone blessed.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

An anonymous woman pronounces a beatitude on Jesus' mother, blessing the womb (koilia) and breasts (mastoi) that bore and nursed Him. This reflects a common Near Eastern way of honoring a man through his mother.

Language and setting

Praising a teacher by blessing his mother was a recognized form of honor in Jewish culture (cf. similar expressions in rabbinic literature). The woman's outburst reflects genuine admiration for Jesus.

Voice

An unnamed woman in the crowd calls out a spontaneous blessing on Jesus' mother.

Significance

A woman's enthusiastic praise for Jesus' mother gives Him the opportunity to redirect the crowd's attention from biological privilege to spiritual obedience.

In context

Luke 11:25–29

25On its return, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.

26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first.”

27As 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!”

28But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

29As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

Read all of Luke 11 — The disciples ask for a prayer, and Jesus gives them words that have echoed for two thousand years. Then he warns against empty religion.

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