Meaning, commentary and cross references
Luke 1:37
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
NIV · New International Version
For no word from God will ever fail.”
WEB · World English Bible
For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
What does Luke 1:37 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Luke 1:37
For with God nothing shall be impossible. That is consistent with his nature and perfections, with his counsels, purposes, and promises: every thing that he has said, purposed, or promised, he is able to do, and will; every word that he has spoken, every thing predicted by his prophets, or declared by his angels, and particularly this of a virgin's conceiving and bearing a Son: so that the angel not only answers her question, how this should be, but confirms her faith in it; partly by the instance of her cousin Elisabeth, and partly by observing the infinite omnipotence of God.
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Luke 1:26–38
The angel assures Mary of this, to encourage her faith, and concludes with that great truth, of undoubted certainty and universal use, For with God nothing shall be impossible (Luk 1:37), and, if nothing, then not this. Abraham therefore staggered not at the belief of the divine promise, because he was strong in his belief of the divine power, Rom 4:20, Rom 4:21. No word of God must be incredible to us, as long as no work of God is impossible to him. VI.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Luke 1:34–38
37. For no word shall be impossible with God If we choose to take rhema, word, in its strict and native sense, the meaning is, that God will do what he hath promised, for no hinderance can resist his power. The argument will be, God hath promised, and therefore he will accomplish it; for we ought not to allege any impossibility in opposition to his word But as a word often means a thing in the idiom of the Hebrew language, (which the Evangelists followed, though they wrote in Greek,) [30] we explain it more simply, that nothing is impossible with God We ought always, in- deed, to hold it as a maxim, that they wander widely from the truth who, at their pleasure, imagine the power of God to…
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Luke 1:34–40 (WEB)
34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 36Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For nothing spoken by God is impossible.” 38Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. 39Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
Cross references
- Matthew 19:26
Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- Jeremiah 32:27
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?
- Mark 10:27
Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”
- Jeremiah 32:17
“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you.
- Luke 18:27
But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
- Genesis 18:14
Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
- Numbers 11:23
The LORD said to Moses, “Has the LORD’s hand grown short? Now you will see whether my word will happen to you or not.”
- Philippians 3:21
who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.