Luke 2:31
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Which {G3739} thou hast prepared {G2090} before {G2596} the face {G4383} of all {G3956} people {G2992};
which you prepared in the presence of all peoples --
which You have prepared in the sight of all people,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;
Cross-References
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Isaiah 42:1
¶ Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, [in whom] my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. -
Isaiah 42:4
He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. -
Psalms 98:2
The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. -
Psalms 98:3
He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. -
Isaiah 62:1
¶ For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth. -
Isaiah 62:2
And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. -
Isaiah 45:21
Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? [who] hath told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; [there is] none beside me.
Commentary
Luke 2:31 (KJV): "Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;"
Context
This verse is part of Simeon's prophetic prayer, often called the Nunc Dimittis, recorded in Luke's Gospel. Simeon, a righteous and devout man in Jerusalem, had been promised by the Holy Ghost that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple for the traditional rites of purification and presentation (Luke 2:22), Simeon took the child into his arms. His prayer, beginning in Luke 2:29, expresses profound thankfulness for having seen God's salvation. Verse 31 specifies that this salvation is something God Himself has prepared and is intended to be visible "before the face of all people."
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "before the face of all people" translates the Greek "κατὰ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν λαῶν" (kata prosōpon pantōn tōn laōn). Prosōpon literally means "face" or "presence," and pantōn tōn laōn means "of all the peoples" or "of all the nations." This construction strongly emphasizes the public, visible nature of God's prepared salvation and its universal scope, encompassing all ethnic groups and nations.
Reflection
Luke 2:31 is a powerful reminder that God's love and offer of salvation through Jesus Christ are for everyone. Simeon's prophecy anticipates the breaking down of barriers between Jew and Gentile, declaring that Jesus would be "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" (Luke 2:32). This truth calls believers today to recognize the global reach of the gospel and participate in sharing this universally prepared salvation with people from all backgrounds.
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