The Meaning of Luke 1:64 Explained

Luke 1:64

KJV: And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

YLT: and his mouth was opened presently, and his tongue, and he was speaking, praising God.

Darby: And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and he spake, blessing God.

ASV: And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed , and he spake, blessing God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  his  mouth  was opened  immediately,  and  his  tongue  [loosed], and  he spake,  and praised  God. 

What does Luke 1:64 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 1:57-80 - The Song At The Herald's Birth
This song is second only to that of Mary. It is a noble ode, tracing our Lord's advent back to the early covenant of God with the fathers and anticipating its effects to the end of time.
It is wholesome to apply the song to ourselves and ask how far we have participated in these great blessings. Are we experiencing this daily salvation from our spiritual enemies, who hate us? Do we serve God without the slavish fear of the serf, and with the loyal allegiance of the child? Are all our days characterized by holiness toward God and righteousness toward man? Has the "dayspring from on high" visited our hearts and are our feet walking in the way of peace? Solemn questions these, but they must be faced. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 1

1  The preface of Luke to his whole gospel
5  The conception of John the Baptist;
26  and of Jesus
39  The prophecy of Elisabeth and of Mary, concerning Jesus
57  The nativity and circumcision of John
67  The prophecy of Zachariah, both of Jesus,
76  and of John

Greek Commentary for Luke 1:64

Immediately [παραχρημα]
Nineteen times in the N.T., seventeen in Luke. [source]
Opened [ανεωιχτη]
First aorist passive indicative with double augment. The verb suits “mouth,” but not “tongue” It is thus a zeugma with tongue. Loosed or some such verb to be supplied. [source]
Immediately [παραχρῆμα]
Occurring nineteen times in the New Testament, and seventeen of these in Luke. Thirteen of the seventeen are in connection with miracles of healing, or the infliction of disease or death. Used in a similar way by medical writers. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 1:64

James 3:9 We bless [ευλογουμεν]
Present active indicative of ευλογεω — eulogeō old verb from ευλογος — eulogos (a good word, ευ λογος — euτον κυριον και πατερα — logos), as in Luke 1:64 of God. “This is the highest function of speech” (Hort).The Lord and Father (καταρωμετα — ton kurion kai patera). Both terms applied to God.Curse we Present middle indicative of the old compound verb καταρα — kataraomai to curse (from τους κατ ομοιωσιν τεου γεγονοτας — katara a curse), as in Luke 6:28.Which are made after the likeness of God (γινομαι — tous kath' homoiōsin theou gegonotas). Second perfect articular participle of ομοιωσις — ginomai and ομοιοω — homoiōsis old word from ομοιωμα — homoioō (to make like), making like, here only in N.T. (from Genesis 1:26; Genesis 9:6), the usual word being homoiōma resemblance (Philemon 2:7). It is this image of God which sets man above the beasts. Cf. 2 Corinthians 3:18. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 1:64 mean?

Was opened then the mouth of him immediately and the tongue he was speaking blessing - God
ἀνεῴχθη δὲ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ παραχρῆμα καὶ γλῶσσα ἐλάλει εὐλογῶν τὸν Θεόν

ἀνεῴχθη  Was  opened 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀνοίγω 
Sense: to open.
στόμα  mouth 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: στόμα  
Sense: the mouth, as part of the body: of man, of animals, of fish, etc.
αὐτοῦ  of  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
παραχρῆμα  immediately 
Parse: Adverb
Root: παραχρῆμα  
Sense: immediately, forthwith, instantly.
γλῶσσα  tongue 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γλῶσσα  
Sense: the tongue, a member of the body, an organ of speech. 2 a tongue.
ἐλάλει  he  was  speaking 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
εὐλογῶν  blessing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εὐλογέω 
Sense: to praise, celebrate with praises.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεόν  God 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.