Luke 1:31 is the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and that she is to name him Jesus. The verse is a direct announcement, not a request or a question, and it marks the beginning of the good news the Gospel of Luke goes on to tell. The speaker is the angel Gabriel, and the one being addressed is Mary, a young woman of Nazareth.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and give birth to a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’
Luke 1:31 (WEB)
What Luke 1:31 Means
The phrase “you will conceive in your womb” tells Mary plainly what will happen in her body, with no hedging. The angel is not offering a possibility but describing something God has already decided. The following words, “give birth to a son,” make clear that this child will be fully human, born in the ordinary way that human children are born, even though the conception itself is miraculous.
The name is given before the child is born. In the ancient Jewish world, naming a child was an act of identity and purpose, and “Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which means “the Lord saves.” So the verse is not only about a birth but about who this child is and what he will do. It does not spell out every detail of his future, and it does not promise Mary an easy path. It announces a son and a name, and the rest of the passage and the Gospel unfold what that name means.
The Context of Luke 1:31
The Gospel of Luke is traditionally attributed to Luke, a companion of Paul who wrote with a careful, historical interest in events. The book is addressed to a man named Theophilus and written with a broad audience in mind, including Gentile readers. Luke begins with two parallel birth stories, one about John the Baptist and one about Jesus, which lets the reader see how God’s work unfolds in ordinary homes and small towns.
In the verses just before, Gabriel greets Mary and tells her she has found favor with God, and in the verses just after, Mary asks how this can be since she is a virgin. Read in that setting, the verse is the center of a real conversation. The angel answers Mary’s confusion by describing what God will do, and that exchange makes the announcement feel personal rather than distant.
Key Phrases in Luke 1:31
Matthew 1:21
She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
(WEB)
This verse tells Joseph the same name and explains why it was chosen: the child will save his people from their sins. Reading it beside Luke 1:31 shows that the name Jesus carries a clear meaning that both Gospels treat as central to who he is.
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
(WEB)
This prophecy from Isaiah speaks of a virgin conceiving and bearing a son, and it was read by early Christians as pointing toward the birth Gabriel announces. Seeing the older promise alongside Luke 1:31 helps you recognize that the angel’s message is the fulfillment of a long hope God had spoken through earlier prophets.
A Short Prayer From Luke 1:31
Lord, you sent your messenger with news that changed everything for Mary, and you gave her a name that carries your promise of salvation. Teach me to listen for your voice when your plans arrive in ways I did not expect. When I feel unready or afraid, remind me that you are the one who names the purpose and who stays with those you call. Give me the trust to say yes to what you ask of me, and the patience to wait for what I cannot yet see. Amen.
