Luke 1:36 (WEB)
Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Luke 1:36 (KJV)
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
Key words
- ἡ συγγενίς σουhē syngenis sou · Greek
- 'thy cousin' — kinswoman; the same root as Mark 6:4, where Jesus calls the Nazareth 'brothers' his syngeneis, his relatives.
- ἐν γήρει αὐτῆςen gērei autēs · Greek
- 'in her old age' — Elizabeth is Mary's elder.
Why it matters
Elizabeth is Mary's older kinswoman. Pitre draws out the social meaning of the Visitation (pp 76–77): for an older relative to honour a younger one as Elizabeth honours Mary was unheard of — unless the younger person was royalty. 'The mother of my Lord' is a royal title. The word for 'cousin' also matters in chapter 5, where Jesus uses its cognate for his 'brothers' (p 107).