Luke 23:29 · Bible study
Luke 23:29 Commentary: Barrenness Blessed in Judgment
Greek · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Jesus call the barren 'blessed' at his crucifixion? This study explores the reversal of motherhood's blessing in the coming destruction of Jerusalem.
Research Summary
- Meaning: In the coming destruction of Jerusalem, childlessness will be seen as a mercy, inverting the normal blessing of motherhood.
- Key words: barren (steira: hard, unproductive), blessed (makarios: happy, fortunate), aorist verbs of not bearing/nursing.
- Main debate: Whether this is purely a historical reference to AD 70 or also carries eschatological warning.
- Theological theme: Divine judgment reverses human values; sin's consequences are severe and real.
- Best use: Teaching on judgment, the cost of sin, or the Lucan reversal theme, handled with pastoral sensitivity.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’
WEB World English Bible 2000
For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’
KJV King James Version 1769
For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave suck.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for, lo, days do come, in which they shall say, Happy the barren, and wombs that did not bare, and paps that did not give suck;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
for behold, days are coming in which they will say, Blessed [are] the barren, and wombs that have not borne, and breasts that have not given suck.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren and the wombs that have not borne and the paps that have not given suck.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque he aquí vendrán días en que dirán: Bienaventuradas las estériles, y los vientres que no engendraron, y los pechos que no criaron.
Porque eis que vêm dias em que dirão: Bem-aventuradas as estéreis, e os ventres que não deram a luz, e os peitos que não amamentaram.
Car voici, des jours viendront où l’ on dira: Heureuses les stériles, heureuses les entrailles qui n’ ont point enfanté, et les mamelles qui n’ ont point allaité!
Denn siehe, es wird die Zeit kommen, in welcher man sagen wird: Selig sind die Unfruchtbaren und die Leiber, die nicht geboren haben, und die Brüste, die nicht gesäugt haben!
Want ziet, er komen dagen, in welke men zeggen zal: Zalig zijn de onvruchtbaren, en de buiken, die niet gebaard hebben, en de borsten, die niet gezoogd hebben.
Perché ecco, vengono i giorni nei quali si dirà: Beate le sterili, e i seni che non han partorito, e le mammelle che non hanno allattato.
Albowiemci oto idą dni, których będą mówić: Błogosławione niepłodne i żywoty, które nie rodziły, i piersi, które nie karmiły.
ибо приходят дни, в которые скажут: блаженны неплодные, и утробы неродившие, и сосцы непитавшие!
因為 日子 要到， 人必說：『不生育的，和 未 曾懷胎的， 未 曾乳養 嬰孩的，有福了！』
For the days are coming in which they will say, Happy are those who have had no children, whose bodies have never given birth, whose breasts have never given milk.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 23:29
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse prophesies the horrors of Jerusalem's destruction in AD 70. Jesus, on the way to the cross, turns to the weeping women and warns of days so terrible that childlessness will be seen as a blessing. Calvin calls it a “fearful and unheard of calamity” of divine vengeance. The Cambridge Bible notes the “awful reversal of the proper blessedness of motherhood.” Gill supports this with Josephus' account of a woman eating her child during the siege. The macarism form, “Blessed are the barren”, intentionally inverts the normal blessing of fertility found in Luke 11:27. This is not an endorsement of childlessness but a rhetorical device showing the extremity of God's judgment on the nation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus prophesies that the coming destruction of Jerusalem will be so severe that childlessness, normally a curse, will be seen as a blessing.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Historical fulfillment | All traditions agree the primary reference is the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, documented by Josephus. | Some Christians see this as pointing also to final judgment at the end of the age, while others limit it strictly to the first-century event. |
| Nature of the blessing | Christians agree that the 'blessing' on the barren is a rhetorical reversal to show the extremity of suffering. | A minority across traditions ask whether any genuine beatitude remains in this statement, but most treat it as ironic hyperbole. |
| Connection to barrenness in Luke | Christians agree this verse contrasts with Luke 1:36,42 and 11:27 where motherhood is blessed. | Some see this as a critique of the assumption that family always indicates God's favor, while others focus on the judgment theme exclusively. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jesus speaks these words on the Via Dolorosa, as he carries his cross toward Calvary. A large crowd follows, including women who mourn and lament for him. Jesus redirects their sorrow: do not weep for me, but for yourselves and for your children (v.28). The phrase “the days are coming” is a standard prophetic formula (cf. Amos 4:2, Jeremiah 7:32) announcing certain future judgment. The Greek verb erchontai (“are coming”) is present tense, vivid for imminent certainty. “They will say” (erousin) is future indicative, placing the proclamation in the coming disaster.
The blessing on the barren directly contrasts with the blessing in Luke 11:27, “Blessed is the womb that bore you!”, and reverses the cultural expectation that motherhood is a woman's greatest blessing. In ancient Jewish society, barrenness was often seen as a curse or divine displeasure. Here, Jesus inverts that expectation: the coming judgment is so severe that not having children will be a mercy.
The backdrop is Deuteronomy 28:53-57, where Moses warns that siege will drive parents to eat their own children. The cross-reference to Hosea 9:12 and 9:16 emphasizes divine bereavement. Josephus (Jewish War) records the gruesome fulfillment: during Titus's siege, a woman named Mary killed, cooked, and ate her own son. Gill says that this single incident triggered the very words “blessed are the barren” throughout the city. The mountains and hills imagery in v.30 alludes to Hosea 10:8 and echoes the cry of Revelation for rocks to fall on them.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts, with the only minor differences being in orthography (e.g., egennēsan vs. egennēsan) that do not affect meaning.
Reception History
This verse has been read across church history as a sobering prophecy of Jerusalem's fall. Early Christian writers pointed to its fulfillment in the Roman siege, while later commentators, including Calvin, used it to underscore the reality of divine judgment on those who reject Christ. In the Middle Ages, it was often cited in sermons on penitence. Modern treatments carefully balance the warning against pastoral sensitivity for those struggling with infertility, emphasizing that the blessing is contextual and not a universal statement about childlessness.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Path to the Cross Includes a Prophetic Warning. Jesus does not simply suffer silently; he stops to speak truth to those who weep. The crucifixion is not just a personal tragedy but a turning point in redemptive history. The coming destruction of Jerusalem is directly tied to the nation's rejection of its Messiah.
- The Reversal of Expected Blessings. In Jewish culture, barrenness was a source of shame and grief. Here it becomes a source of relief. The macarism “blessed” (makariai) is the same word used in the Beatitudes. By placing it on the barren, Jesus signals that the ordinary categories of blessing and curse are being overturned by the coming judgment.
- The Green Tree and the Dry. Verse 31 completes the logic: if this is what Rome does to the “green tree” (Jesus, the innocent one), what will happen to the “dry” (the guilty nation)? The judgment on Jerusalem is an outflow of the greater judgment on sin itself.
Five-point outline
- Context: The Weeping Women. Jesus turns their pity toward himself into self-reflection. He invites them to think about their own future rather than his present.
- The Prophetic Formula. “Behold, the days are coming” (idou erchontai hēmerai), a standard Old Testament phrase for sure judgment (cf. Amos 8:11, Jeremiah 31:31). Jesus speaks as a prophet.
- The Culture of Blessing and Curse. The original audience would have recoiled. Barrenness was a personal tragedy. Jesus uses this cultural value to show the magnitude of what is ahead.
- The Historical Fulfillment. The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, documented by Josephus, provides a concrete anchor. The story of Mary of Bethezuba is a chilling illustration.
- The Theological Application. This verse calls believers to take sin and judgment seriously, while also pointing to the hope that such judgment can be escaped through repentance and faith in Christ.
Illustration hooks
- The Josephus Account: Mary of Bethezuba, a wealthy woman whose child was taken by famine, cooked and ate him. The city heard her cry “This child is mine.” The crowd's horror led to the saying “blessed are the barren.”
- Modern Parallel: In war zones, parents sometimes express regret at bringing children into a world of violence. This verse validates the deep instinct that there are circumstances worse than childlessness.
- The Beatitude Reversed: Compare with Luke 11:27 and the beatitudes of the kingdom. Here the world is turned upside down: what is normally a curse becomes a blessing because of sin's consequences.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does Jesus really consider barrenness a blessing? How do we reconcile this with the pain of infertility?
- Is this only about Jerusalem in AD 70, or is there an ongoing warning for today?
- How can a loving God bring such judgment on a nation?
Leading a Discussion
This verse forces us to confront the reality of divine judgment and the cost of rejecting God's Son. Jesus does not reject the women's tears, but he redirects them. Their grief for him will soon be dwarfed by their own suffering. As a group, read Luke 23:27-31 slowly together. Then discuss these questions.
Discussion questions
- What is happening in the immediate context of v.29? Who is present, and what are they doing?
- Why do you think Jesus speaks specifically about women and children? What does that highlight about the coming judgment?
- How does this verse connect with the blessing in Luke 11:27? Why would Jesus overturn that blessing?
- Read Deuteronomy 28:53-57. How does this Old Testament curse background help explain the depth of Jesus' warning?
- What does the phrase “the days are coming” tell us about the certainty of judgment? How does that affect the way we read the verse?
- In what ways does this passage challenge our assumptions about who is “blessed” or “cursed” in God's economy?
- If you had to explain this verse to someone struggling with infertility, how would you do so with honesty and compassion?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 28:53 | You will eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, whom Yahweh your God has given you, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemies will distress you. |
| Deuteronomy 28:57 | toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of all things in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy will distress you in your gates. |
| Hosea 9:12 | Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left. Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them! |
| Hosea 9:16 | Ephraim is struck. Their root has dried up. They will bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, yet I will kill the beloved ones of their womb.” |
| Hosea 13:16 | Samaria will bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.” |
| Matthew 24:19 | But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days! |
| Mark 13:17 | But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days! |
| Mark 13:19 | For in those days there will be oppression, such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the coming destruction is not ordinary but so horrific that people will beg for mountains to crush them rather than endure it. He sees this as the unmistakable vengeance of God against those who fought against Him, warning that such impious rage will be repaid in full.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Jesus's shocking blessing on childless women finds its most terrible fulfillment in the Roman siege of Jerusalem, when mothers were driven to kill and eat their own children. This saying marks an awful reversal of motherhood's proper blessedness.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
For behold, the dayes wil come, when men shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombes that neuer bare, and the pappes which neuer gaue sucke.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill ties Jesus' words about blessed barrenness to Josephus's account of a mother in Jerusalem's siege who killed and ate her child. In that horror, childlessness was seen as blessed because
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB distinguishes between two groups of women present at the crucifixion. The women Jesus addresses are not the faithful Galilean followers who remained with Him to the end, but a separate group from the crowd who mourned for Him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry marvels at the astonishing speed of the trial and crucifixion, noting that all the proceedings from early morning to the cross took only a few hours. He suggests Christ's enemies hurried for fear his friends would hear and rise to rescue him.