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Luke 2

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The Birth of Jesus 1–7

1
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. ​
2
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) ​
3
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) ​
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To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. ​

The Shepherds and the Angels 8–20

8
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ​
9
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ​
12
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ​
15
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
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And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
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And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
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But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. ​
20
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Jesus Presented at the Temple 21–40

21
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. ​
22
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; ​
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(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
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And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. ​
25
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. ​
26
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
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And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
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Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
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Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: ​
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For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
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Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
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A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. ​
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And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
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And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; ​
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(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. ​
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And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; ​
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And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
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And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39
And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
40
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. ​

The Boy Jesus in the Temple 41–52

41
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. ​
42
And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. ​
43
And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
44
But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
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And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46
And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. ​
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And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48
And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
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And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? ​
50
And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
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And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. ​
52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Luke 2

Verse 1

a decree from Caesar Augustus — Dogma is a decree or ordinance. 'All the world' is oikoumene, the inhabited earth, here the lands under Rome. The order that moved Joseph and Mary (vv.3–5) brought the birth to Bethlehem, where Mic 5:2 said the ruler of Israel would 'come forth'. Luke dates John's ministry by another emperor (Luke 3:1).

Verse 2

first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria — Apographe is a registration or enrolment; hegemoneuo means to act as ruler. 'First' is commonly read as marking this enrolment as the earlier of two: Luke himself later mentions 'the days of the taxing' and Judas of Galilee (Acts 5:37). Cyrenius is the Latin Quirinius.

Verse 4

the city of David, which is called Bethlehem — Joseph 'went up' (anabaino) from Nazareth because he was 'of the house and lineage' (patria, paternal family) of David. This is the place of Mic 5:2, 'Bethlehem Ephratah', and the objection in John 7:42, 'out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?'

Verse 7

her firstborn son — Prototokos, as in Matt 1:25. The firstborn belonged to the LORD (Ex 13:2; see v.23). 'Swaddling clothes' (sparganoo) are strips of cloth wound round an infant; 'manger' (phatne) is a feeding trough; 'inn' (katalyma) is a lodging-place, the word rendered 'guestchamber' in Luke 22:11.

Verse 8

shepherds abiding in the field — Agrauleo, to camp out, occurs only here in the KJV. The first hearers of the news were keepers of flocks, as David had been, taken 'from the sheepfolds' to shepherd Jacob (Ps 78:70–71), in the town where he was born. The 'watch' (phylake) was the division of the night.

Verse 11

a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord — Three titles in one verse: soter, deliverer; Christos, the Anointed (Messiah); kyrios, Lord. 'Unto you is born' echoes Isa 9:6, 'unto us a child is born'; the name of the Saviour is explained in Matt 1:21, and Peter later joins 'Lord and Christ' (Acts 2:36).

Verse 14

good will toward men — Eudokia is good pleasure, the favour in which God takes delight. The peace is joined to glory 'in the highest' (hypsistos); the disciples on the Mount of Olives sing the same pair reversed, 'peace in heaven, and glory in the highest' (Luke 19:38). Peace made 'through the blood of his cross' is the sense of Col 1:20.

Verse 19

pondered them in her heart — Symballo means literally to throw together: she considered the shepherds' report together with all that had been told her. 'Kept' is syntereo, to keep closely. The same trait ends the chapter (v.51), with a different verb, diatereo; compare Gen 37:11, where Jacob 'observed the saying'.

Verse 21

his name was called JESUS — Circumcision on the eighth day is the law of Gen 17:12 and Lev 12:3. The name, Greek for Hebrew Jehoshua, was given before conception (Luke 1:31); its meaning is stated in Matt 1:21, 'he shall save his people from their sins'. He was 'made under the law' (Gal 4:4).

Verse 22

the days of her purification — By Lev 12:2–4 a mother was unclean seven days, then continued thirty-three more 'in the blood of her purifying', touching nothing hallowed. Katharismos is cleansing. 'To present him to the Lord' (paristemi) answers the claim of Ex 13:2 on every firstborn, cited in v.23.

Verse 24

A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons — Lev 12:8 permits this offering when the mother is 'not able to bring a lamb': one bird for the burnt offering, one for the sin offering. Joseph and Mary bring the offering of the poor, as 2 Cor 8:9 says of Christ, 'though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor'.

Verse 25

the consolation of Israel — Paraklesis is comfort, encouragement; it is the hope of Isa 40:1, 'Comfort ye, comfort ye my people'. Simeon is 'just' (dikaios) and 'devout' (eulabes, careful, reverent), 'waiting' (prosdechomai) as those in v.38 who 'looked for redemption'. The Holy Ghost was 'upon' him, and revealed the promise of v.26.

Verse 29

lettest thou thy servant depart — Apolyo is to release or dismiss; doulos is a bondservant, and despotes the absolute master he addresses. Departure 'in peace' is the language of Gen 15:15, 'thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace'. It is the end of the waiting promised in v.26, since he has now seen the Lord's Christ.

Verse 32

A light to lighten the Gentiles — Drawn from Isa 49:6, where the Servant is also to 'raise up the tribes of Jacob' (cf. Isa 42:6). The Greek apokalypsis means a revealing, so the light is a revelation to the Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas apply the words to their mission: 'I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles' (Acts 13:47). Israel's 'glory' is the other half.

Verse 34

the fall and rising again of many — Ptosis and anastasis (the word used of resurrection). The child is a 'stone of stumbling' to Israel in Isa 8:14–15, and Peter applies it to Christ: a stone of stumbling 'to them which stumble at the word', yet precious to those who believe (1 Pet 2:7–8). 'Spoken against' is antilego.

Verse 35

a sword shall pierce through thy own soul — Rhomphaia is a long, broad sword; it is said to Mary alone, and 'thy own soul' (psyche) marks her share in the rejection. Scripture shows her standing 'by the cross of Jesus' (John 19:25). The cross also lays bare 'the thoughts' (dialogismos, reasonings) of many hearts.

Verse 36

Anna, a prophetess — Prophetesses named in Scripture include Miriam (Ex 15:20) and Huldah (2 Kings 22:14); the gift is promised to 'handmaidens' in Acts 2:18. 'Aser' is the tribe of Asher; 'Phanuel' is the Hebrew Penuel. Her seven years of marriage and her great age are set beside v.37.

Verse 40

filled with wisdom — The clause 'the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit' is word for word that of John in Luke 1:80, and the child Samuel likewise 'grew on' (1 Sam 2:26). The 'wisdom' (sophia) and 'grace of God' are those of the Branch of Isa 11:1–2, on whom rests 'the spirit of wisdom and understanding'.

Verse 41

every year at the feast of the passover — The law required all males to appear before the LORD three times a year (Deut 16:16), and the passover opened the feast of unleavened bread. Pascha is the Passover. Luke notes that his parents went 'every year', as Elkanah 'went up out of his city yearly' to Shiloh (1 Sam 1:3).

Verse 42

when he was twelve years old — This is the one event recorded from his boyhood between v.40 and his baptism at about thirty (Luke 3:23). 'Went up' (anabaino) is the pilgrim's verb, as in Ps 122:4, where 'the tribes go up'. The 'custom' (ethos) of the feast is the yearly practice of v.41.

Verse 46

in the midst of the doctors — Didaskalos is simply 'teacher'. 'Temple' is hieron, the whole sacred precinct. He is 'hearing them, and asking them questions' (eperotao), sitting as a learner, yet v.47 says all were 'astonished' at his understanding. 'After three days' counts from the departure in vv.43–45.

Verse 49

my Father's business — Literally, the Greek reads in the things of my Father. 'Must' is dei, divine necessity. Mary had said 'thy father' (v.48); he answers 'my Father'. These are his first recorded words, and the same obedience is stated later: 'My meat is to do the will of him that sent me' (John 4:34). 'Wist' is the old past of eido, to know.

Verse 51

was subject unto them — Hypotasso, to put oneself under, the word used of children in the household duty of Eph 6:1–2, 'Children, obey your parents in the Lord'. He 'went down' (katabaino) from Jerusalem to Nazareth. The mother 'kept' (diatereo, to watch thoroughly) what she had heard, as in v.19.

Verse 52

increased in wisdom and stature — Prokopto is to advance, and helikia means stature or age. The verse is the closing form of v.40, and follows the pattern of Samuel, who 'was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men' (1 Sam 2:26). Prov 3:4 promises 'favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man'.