Chapter

Luke 11:27

ESV As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”
NIV As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, 'Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.'
NASB While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, 'Blessed is the womb that carried You, and the breasts at which You nursed!'
CSB As he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the one who nursed you! "
NLT As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, 'God bless your mother — the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!'
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.

What does Luke 11:27 mean?

Luke continues to offer stories about the difference between someone who follows Satan and one who follows Jesus. A person who truly casts out demons does not follow Satan (Luke 11:14–20). If Jesus can cast out demons, He can destroy Satan's kingdom (Luke 11:21–23). People must decide who they follow or they will, by default, be under Satan's authority (Luke 11:24–26).

The anonymous woman is not wrong. Elizabeth and Mary, herself, affirmed that Mary is blessed (Luke 1:42, 48). And the fact that a woman felt free to interject her blessing into a rabbi's meeting is another sign of how Jesus valued and affirmed women in His ministry. Yet Jesus emphasizes here that even being a close member of Jesus' family is not enough. To receive God's blessings, even Jesus' family members must choose Him as their Savior.

Matthew and Mark don't record this interchange, but they do include a related conversation (Matthew 12:46–50; Mark 3:31–35), as does Luke earlier in his gospel (Luke 8:19–21). Mary and Jesus' brothers have heard that He's over-working Himself and is earning a bad reputation. They show up to take Him home (Mark 3:21). Jesus is inside a crowded house, and they can't get to Him. When someone tells Him they are there, He responds "Who are my mother and my brothers? … Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:33–35).
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