And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Elizabeth doesn't just say Mary is blessed because God's promises will come true, but specifically because Mary believed they would come true in the first place. This highlights that genuine blessing isn't just about receiving God's gifts, but about our faith-filled response to His word, even when things seem impossible.
And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Mary receives the astonishing news from the angel Gabriel that she will conceive the Son of God, she travels to visit her relative Elizabeth, who is also miraculously pregnant in her old age. As soon as Mary greets Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaps, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaims that Mary is blessed for believing the divine promises.
What makes someone truly 'blessed'? It's not just about receiving good news, but about how we respond. Elizabeth points to a crucial element that unlocks God's blessings.
This verse highlights that blessedness isn't just about experiencing God's promises, but about believing them.
The Core of Faith
Elizabeth declares Mary 'blessed' specifically 'because she believed.' This points to faith as the foundation for experiencing God's fulfillment. It's about trusting that what God says will happen, because He said it.
Why Faith Matters
Faith receives what God offers. While God's promises are true regardless of our belief, faith is the human response that opens us up to experiencing their reality in our lives. Unbelief closes the door, but faith embraces God's work.
Elizabeth's words aren't just a compliment to Mary; they're a profound statement about the nature of God and His promises. What guarantees their fulfillment?
The second part of Elizabeth's declaration reassures us about the unfailing nature of God's spoken word.
The Certainty of Performance
The phrase 'there shall be a performance of what was spoken' is a powerful affirmation. It means that what God has communicated, He will bring to pass. His promises aren't mere suggestions; they are declarations of His intent and power.
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God's Authority, Our Confidence
Elizabeth's statement, likely inspired by the Holy Spirit, emphasizes that God's own authority is the reason we can trust His promises. Because God speaks, His word carries the inherent power to accomplish its purpose. We don't need further signs; His word is enough.
Understand the original words
pisteuō · Greek Verb
The act of placing one's trust, reliance, and confidence in God and His promises. Biblical belief involves an active response of the heart that accepts God's word as true, resulting in obedience and hope.
teleiōsis · Greek Noun
The completion or accomplishment of that which has been promised or prophesied by God. It signifies that God is faithful to His word and that His sovereign purposes are brought to fruition in human history.
Elizabeth's declaration in Luke 1:45 highlights the profound blessing found in trusting God's word, especially during a time of immense societal and political upheaval under Roman rule and amidst miraculous, yet often doubted, divine interventions.
c. 20-15 BC
Herod the Great's Reign
Mary and Joseph lived in Galilee during the later years of Herod the Great's rule, a time of Roman influence and Jewish expectation for a Messiah.
c. 2 BC
Birth of John the Baptist
Zechariah, a priest, encountered an angel who foretold the birth of his son, John. Zechariah's doubt led to his muteness until John's birth.
c. 2 BC
Annunciation to Mary
The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, announcing she would conceive a son, Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, and that he would be called Son of the Most High. Mary responded with humble faith.
c. 2 BC— this verse
Mary Visits Elizabeth
Mary traveled to the hill country of Judea to visit her relative Elizabeth, who was also miraculously pregnant. Upon Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's baby (John the Baptist) leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, declared Mary blessed.
c. 1 BC
Birth of Jesus
Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the census ordered by Caesar Augustus, fulfilling prophecies about the Messiah's birthplace.
This verse highlights that faith is credited as righteousness, mirroring how Elizabeth declares Mary blessed for her belief in God's spoken word.
John 20:29Jesus states, 'Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,' which resonates with Mary's blessing for believing a promise she had not yet seen fulfilled.
Romans 4:20-21This passage speaks of Abraham's unwavering faith in God's promise, strengthening the idea that steadfast belief in God's word, even when unseen, is a source of blessing.
Hebrews 11:1Hebrews defines faith as 'the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,' directly aligning with Elizabeth's praise for Mary's confident belief in the Lord's promises.
cambridgeLuke 1:45: "And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."
45 . blessed is she that believed ] Perhaps Elizabeth had in mind the affliction which had followed her husband’s doubt. Comp. John 20:29 . for there shall be a performance ] The words may also mean ‘she that believed that there shall be,’ &c.
clarkeLuke 1:45: "And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."
Blessed is she that believed; for there shall be, etc. - Or, Blessed is she who hath believed that there shall be, etc. This I believe to be the proper arrangement of the passage, and is thus noticed in the marginal reading. Faith is here represented as the foundation of true happiness, because it receives the fulfillment of God's promises. Whatever God has promised…
Elizabeth doesn't just say Mary is blessed because God's promises will come true, but specifically because Mary believed they would come true in the first place. This highlights that genuine blessing isn't just about receiving God's gifts, but about our faith-filled response to His word, even when things seem impossible.
After Mary receives the astonishing news from the angel Gabriel that she will conceive the Son of God, she travels to visit her relative Elizabeth, who is also miraculously pregnant in her old age. As soon as Mary greets Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaps, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaims that Mary is blessed for believing the divine promises.
After Mary receives the astonishing news from the angel Gabriel that she will conceive the Son of God, she travels to visit her relative Elizabeth, who is also miraculously pregnant in her old age. As soon as Mary greets Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaps, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaims that Mary is blessed for believing the divine promises.
"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”" — Elizabeth doesn't just say Mary is blessed because God's promises will come true, but specifically because Mary believed they would come true in the first place. This highlights that genuine bles…
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Last reviewed October 2026