LUKE 1:38 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “Listen,” said Maria, “I’m Yahweh’s servant girl. May everything you said come true.” Then the messenger left her.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Then Mary said, “Behold, the female servant of the Lord. May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel went away from her.

UST Then Mary said, “All right. I am willing to obey the Lord. God can make the things you have described happen to me.” Then the angel left her.

BSB “[I am] the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

BLB And Mary said, "Behold, the Lord's handmaid. May it happen to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

AICNT [And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.][fn]

1:38, Verse 38 is absent from some manuscripts. Latin(b e)

OEB ‘I am the servant of the Lord,’ exclaimed Mary. ‘Let it be with me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.

WEBBE Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”
¶ Then the angel departed from her.

WMBB Miriam said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”
¶ Then the angel departed from her.

MSG ^(36-38)“And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”
  And Mary said,
  Yes, I see it all now:
  I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me
  just as you say.
Then the angel left her.

NET So Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

LSV And Mary said, “Behold, the maidservant of the LORD; let it be to me according to your saying,” and the messenger went away from her.

FBV “Here I am, ready to be the Lord's servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me just as you said.” Then the angel left her.

TCNT Then Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it happen to me according to yoʋr word.” And the angel left her.

T4T Then Mary said, “All right, I want to serve ◄the Lord/God►, so may what you (sg) have said about me come true!” Then the angel left her.

LEB So Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s female slave! May it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

BBE And Mary said: I am the servant of the Lord; may it be to me as you say. And the angel went away.

Moff Mary said, "I am here to serve the Lord. Let it be as you have said." Then the angel went away.

Wymth "I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.

ASV And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

DRA And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

YLT And Mary said, 'Lo, the maid-servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to thy saying,' and the messenger went away from her.

Drby And Mary said, Behold the bondmaid of [the] Lord; be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

RV And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
(And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy/your word. And the angel departed from her. )

SLT And Mary said Behold the servant of the Lord; may it be to me according to thy word. And the messenger departed from her.

Wbstr And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

KJB-1769 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
(And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy/your word. And the angel departed from her. )

KJB-1611 And Marie said, Behold the handmaide of the Lord, be it vnto me according to thy word: and the Angel departed from her.
(And Mary/Maria said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy/your word: and the Angel departed from her.)

Bshps And Marie saide: Beholde the handmayden of the Lorde, be it vnto me accordyng to thy worde. And the Angel departed from her.
(And Mary/Maria said: Behold the handmaiden of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy/your word. And the Angel departed from her.)

Gnva Then Marie said, Behold the seruant of the Lord: be it vnto me according to thy woorde. So the Angel departed from her.
(Then Mary/Maria said, Behold the servant of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy/your word. So the Angel departed from her. )

Cvdl And Mary sayde: Beholde, here am I the handmayde of the LORDE: be it vnto me, as thou hast sayde. And the angell departed fro her.
(And Mary said: Behold, here am I the handmaid of the LORD: be it unto me, as thou/you hast said. And the angel departed from her.)

TNT And Mary sayd: beholde the honde mayden of the lorde be it vnto me even as thou hast sayde. And the angell departed from her.
(And Mary said: behold the hand maiden of the lord be it unto me even as thou/you hast said. And the angel departed from her. )

Wycl And Marie seide, Lo! the handmaydyn of the Lord; be it don to me aftir thi word. And the aungel departide fro hir.
(And Mary/Maria said, Lo! the handmaydyn of the Lord; be it done to me after thy/your word. And the angel departed from her.)

Luth Maria aber sprach: Siehe, ich bin des HErr’s Magd; mir geschehe, wie du gesagt hast. Und der Engel schied von ihr.
(Maria but spoke: See/Look, I am the LORD’s Magd; to_me happen, as/like you(sg) said have. And the/of_the angel separated from you(pl)/their/her.)

ClVg Dixit autem Maria: Ecce ancilla Domini: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Et discessit ab illa angelus.[fn]
(He/She_said however Maria: Behold maid Master: fiat to_me after/second the_word/saying your(sg). And discessit away that messenger/angel. )

1.38 Ecce ancilla Domini. Non de singularitate meriti se extollit, sed suæ conditionis et divinæ cognationis per omnia memor, se ancillam illius esse fatetur, cujus mater eligitur, et cum magna devotione promissionem angeli optat impleri.

1.38 Behold maid Master. Not/No from/about eachrtate meriti himself extollit, but his/her_own conditionis and divine kinships through everything memor, himself maidservant of_that to_be fatetur, whose mother eligitur, and when/with big devotion promise messengers/angels wishes impleri.

UGNT εἶπεν δὲ Μαριάμ, ἰδοὺ, ἡ δούλη Κυρίου; γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος.
(eipen de Mariam, idou, haʸ doulaʸ Kuriou; genoito moi kata to ɽaʸma sou. kai apaʸlthen ap’ autaʸs ho angelos.)

SBL-GNT εἶπεν δὲ Μαριάμ· Ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη κυρίου· γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπʼ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος.
(eipen de Mariam; Idou haʸ doulaʸ kuriou; genoito moi kata to ɽaʸma sou. kai apaʸlthen apʼ autaʸs ho angelos.)

RP-GNT Εἶπεν δὲ Μαριάμ, Ἰδού, ἡ δούλη κυρίου· γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. Καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ' αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος.
(Eipen de Mariam, Idou, haʸ doulaʸ kuriou; genoito moi kata to ɽaʸma sou. Kai apaʸlthen ap' autaʸs ho angelos.)

TC-GNT Εἶπε δὲ Μαριάμ, Ἰδού, ἡ δούλη Κυρίου· γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. Καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος.
(Eipe de Mariam, Idou, haʸ doulaʸ Kuriou; genoito moi kata to ɽaʸma sou. Kai apaʸlthen ap autaʸs ho angelos. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:26–38: An angel told Mary that Jesus would be born

God sent an angel to tell Mary that she would have a son and that his name would be Jesus. He would be a king forever. This surprised and frightened Mary. She asked the angel how this would happen, as she was a virgin. She had never had sexual relations with a man. The angel said that the power of God would overshadow her and cause her to become pregnant. She would give birth to a son, and he would be called the Son of God. Mary believed God’s message, and she was willing for this to happen to her.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

The angel Gabriel predicts the virgin birth of Jesus the Christ

Angel Gabriel announces to the virgin Mary that God will cause her to give birth to a son

The Birth of Jesus is Announced (GNT)

1:38a

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered.

Mary answered, “Here I am, the slave of the Lord.
Mary replied, “I belong to the Lord to serve him.

In the Greek text, Mary begins her answer with a word that introduces and emphasizes the response that she would give to the angel. It is the same word that the BSB translates as “now” in 1:20, as “Behold” in 1:31, and as “Look” in 1:36. The BSB does not translate the word here, and some other English versions also do not explicitly translate the word. But since Mary was agreeing to what the Lord wanted, some English versions include that idea here. Some ways to translate it are:

Yes… (NET)

Here am I… (NRSV)

Translate the word in a way is natural in your language for this context. In some languages it may not be necessary to translate it explicitly. See the notes at 1:20a and 1:31a, which discuss the way this word introduces those verses.

I am the Lord’s servant: The phrase I am the Lord’s servant means “I belong to the Lord as his servant.” Mary said this to express her humble submission to whatever the Lord said. Her response showed that she believed what the angel told her and accepted the role of being the mother of the Lord’s son (Jesus). The word Lord refers to God.

servant: The Greek word that the BSB translates as servant refers to a female slave. This word refers to a woman who was owned by another person. She served and obeyed her master or mistress. She probably was not paid, but she received food and a place to live.

In some cultures, slaves may not be known. In other cultures, the word for slave may imply different customs than in biblical culture. If that is true in your language, some ways to translate this are:

person who belonged to someone else

owned person

person who serves someone

worker/servant

Mary answered: The BSB has placed the words Mary answered in the middle of what Mary said. Place them where it is natural in your language.

The Greek word that the BSB has translated as answered is the common word that means “said.” Use the word that is most natural in your language to introduce Mary’s response to what the angel said.

1:38b

“May it happen to me according to your word.”

Let what you have said happen to me.”
I am willing for the Lord to do to me just as you have said.”

May it happen to me according to your word: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as May it happen is a form that often expresses a hope, wish, or prayer. Mary wanted or requested that the Lord would do to her exactly what the angel had said. The English word May does not express any doubt here. Some English versions use “Let it be.” This also expresses a hope or request that God would cause his will to happen to her.

Some other ways to translate May it happen to me according to your word are:

I am willing to accept whatever he wants. (NLT96)

Let everything you’ve said happen to me. (GW)

according to your word: The phrase according to your word refers back to what the angel said in 1:31–37. He said that Mary would conceive a child without being married.

1:38c

Then the angel left her.

Then the angel went away from her.

Then the angel left her: After Mary said the words in 1:38a–b, the angel left.

angel: See the note at 1:11a for suggestions about how to translate the word angel. See also angel, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἰδοὺ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἶπεν Δέ Μαριάμ Ἰδού ἡ δούλη Κυρίου γένοιτο μοί κατά τό ῥῆμα σοῦ Καί ἀπῆλθεν ἀπʼ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος)

Here, Behold means more literally “Look,” that is, “Look at me,” by which Mary means, “This is who I am.” Alternate translation (not followed by a comma): [I am]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἡ δούλη Κυρίου

the handmaiden ˱of˲_˓the˒_Lord

By describing herself as a servant, Mary is responding humbly and willingly. She is not boasting about being in the Lord’s service. Choose an expression in your language that will show her humility and obedience to the Lord. Alternate translation: [someone who will gladly serve the Lord in any way he wishes]

γένοιτό μοι

Once again Mary is expressing her willingness for the things to happen that the angel has told her about. Alternate translation: [I am willing for these things to happen to me]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου

Here, the term word describes the message that Gabriel has brought. Alternate translation: [just as you have said]

Parallel LUKE 1:38

Section 1:26–38: An angel told Mary that Jesus would be born

1:38a

1:38b

1:38c