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Luke · Young's Literal Translation

Luke 2 Young's Literal Translation

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About YLT
  • Individual translator
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Textus Receptus
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Very literal
  • 1898
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

1 And it came to pass in those days, there went forth a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world be enrolled — 2 this enrolment first came to pass when Cyrenius was governor of Syria — 3 and all were going to be enrolled, each to his proper city, 4 and Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, that is called Bethlehem, because of his being of the house and family of David, 5 to enrol himself with Mary his betrothed wife, being with child. 6 And it came to pass, in their being there, the days were fulfilled for her bringing forth, 7 and she brought forth her son — the first-born, and wrapped him up, and laid him down in the manger, because there was not for them a place in the guest-chamber. 8 And there were shepherds in the same region, lodging in the field, and keeping the night-watches over their flock, 9 and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood over them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared a great fear. 10 And the messenger said to them, 'Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to all the people — 11 because there was born to you to-day a Saviour — who is Christ the Lord — in the city of David, 12 and this [is] to you the sign: Ye shall find a babe wrapped up, lying in the manger.' 13 And suddenly there came with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 14◆ 'Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among men — good will.' 15 And it came to pass, when the messengers were gone away from them to the heavens, that the men, the shepherds, said unto one another, 'We may go over indeed unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that hath come to pass, that the Lord did make known to us.' 16 And they came, having hasted, and found both Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger, 17 and having seen, they made known abroad concerning the saying spoken to them concerning the child. 18 And all who heard, did wonder concerning the things spoken by the shepherds unto them; 19 and Mary was preserving all these things, pondering in her heart; 20 and the shepherds turned back, glorifying and praising God, for all those things they heard and saw, as it was spoken unto them. 21 And when eight days were fulfilled to circumcise the child, then was his name called Jesus, having been so called by the messenger before his being conceived in the womb. 22 And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present to the Lord, 23 as it hath been written in the Law of the Lord, — 'Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord,' 24 and to give a sacrifice, according to that said in the Law of the Lord, 'A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.' 25 And lo, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [is] Simeon, and this man is righteous and devout, looking for the comforting of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him, 26 and it hath been divinely told him by the Holy Spirit — not to see death before he may see the Christ of the Lord. 27 And he came in the Spirit to the temple, and in the parents bringing in the child Jesus, for their doing according to the custom of the law regarding him, 28 then he took him in his arms, and blessed God, and he said, 29 'Now Thou dost send away Thy servant, Lord, according to Thy word, in peace, 30 because mine eyes did see Thy salvation, 31 which Thou didst prepare before the face of all the peoples, 32 a light to the uncovering of nations, and the glory of Thy people Israel.' 33 And Joseph and his mother were wondering at the things spoken concerning him, 34 and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, 'Lo, this [one] is set for the falling and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against — 35 (and also thine own soul shall a sword pass through) — that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed.' 36 And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, she was much advanced in days, having lived with an husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and she [is] a widow of about eighty-four years, who did depart not from the temple, with fasts and supplications serving, night and day, 38 and she, at that hour, having come in, was confessing, likewise, to the Lord, and was speaking concerning him, to all those looking for redemption in Jerusalem. 39 And when they finished all things, according to the Law of the Lord, they turned back to Galilee, to their city Nazareth; 40 and the child grew and was strengthened in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. 41 And his parents were going yearly to Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover, 42 and when he became twelve years old, they having gone up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, 43 and having finished the days, in their returning the child Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother did not know, 44 and, having supposed him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and were seeking him among the kindred and among the acquaintances, 45 and not having found him, they turned back to Jerusalem seeking him. 46 And it came to pass, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them, 47 and all those hearing him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48 And, having seen him, they were amazed, and his mother said unto him, 'Child, why didst thou thus to us? lo, thy father and I, sorrowing, were seeking thee.' 49 And he said unto them, 'Why [is it] that ye were seeking me? did ye not know that in the things of my Father it behoveth me to be?' 50 and they did not understand the saying that he spake to them, 51 and he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them, and his mother was keeping all these sayings in her heart, 52 and Jesus was advancing in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour with God and men.

People & places in this chapter

From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.

People

  • Anna

    Prophetess in the temple

    A prophetess of the tribe of Asher, well along in years, who never left the temple and gave thanks to God and spoke of the child to all who awaited redemption.

    Cited in the guide: Luke 2:36

  • Caesar Augustus

    Roman emperor

    The emperor from whom a decree went out that the whole empire be registered, bringing Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem.

    Cited in the guide: Luke 2:1

  • Joseph

    Legal father of Jesus

    The carpenter of Nazareth, a just man who became Jesus' legal father.

    Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:16-25; 2:13-23; Luke 1:27; 2:1-7

  • Mary

    Mother of Jesus

    The virgin mother of Jesus, a young woman of Nazareth who trusted God's word.

    Cited in the guide: Matthew 1; Luke 1-2

  • Phanuel

    Father of Anna

    Named in Luke 2:36 as the father of the prophetess Anna.

    Cited in the guide: Luke 2:36

  • Simeon

    Righteous man who held the infant Jesus

    A righteous and devout man of Jerusalem, told by the Holy Spirit he would not die before seeing the Lord's Christ, who took the child in his arms and blessed God.

    Cited in the guide: Luke 2:25; Luke 2:34

Places

  • Bethlehem

    Today: West Bank, Palestinian territories

    Bethlehem was the home of Ruth and Boaz and the birthplace of David. Micah named it as the Messiah's birthplace — fulfilled in Jesus' nativity.

    Cited in the guide: Micah 5:2; Ruth 1:19; Luke 2:4-7

  • Nazareth

    Today: Northern Israel (Galilee)

    A small agricultural village never named in the Old Testament. Jesus spent his childhood and early life here before beginning his public ministry.

    Cited in the guide: Luke 2:39-40; Matthew 2:23; John 1:46

Cross references (49)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 Luke 3:1; Matthew 24:14; Acts 25:21
  2. 2 Luke 3:1
  3. 4 Micah 5:2; John 7:42; 1 Samuel 16:1; Matthew 2:23; Luke 1:26–27
  4. 5 Matthew 1:18–19; Deuteronomy 22:22–27
  5. 6 Psalm 33:11; Revelation 12:1–5; Micah 5:2; Proverbs 19:21; Luke 1:57
  6. 7 Galatians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Isaiah 53:2–3; John 1:14; Luke 2:11–12
  7. 8 Psalm 78:70–71; Genesis 31:39–40; John 10:8–12; 1 Samuel 17:34–35; Ezekiel 34:8
  8. 9 Isaiah 60:1; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Acts 27:23; Revelation 18:1; 1 Kings 8:11
  9. 10 Isaiah 40:9; Isaiah 61:1; Isaiah 52:7; Genesis 12:3; Matthew 28:18
  10. 11 Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:21; Titus 3:4–7; Acts 2:36; Matthew 16:16
  11. 12 Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 53:1–2; Isaiah 7:11; Psalm 22:6; 2 Kings 19:29
  12. 13 Revelation 5:11; Psalm 148:2; Psalm 103:20–21; 1 Kings 22:19; Luke 15:10
  13. 14 Romans 5:1; Luke 19:38; Luke 1:79; Colossians 1:20; Isaiah 9:6–7
  14. 15 1 Peter 3:22; Matthew 2:1–2; Luke 24:51; Exodus 3:3; Matthew 2:9–11
  15. 16 Luke 19:32; Luke 2:12; Luke 2:7; Luke 22:13; Luke 1:39
  16. 17 Psalm 66:16; Luke 8:39; Psalm 71:17–18; Luke 2:38; Psalm 16:9–10
  17. 18 Luke 1:65–66; Luke 4:36; Luke 2:33; Isaiah 8:18; Luke 5:9–10
  18. 19 Luke 2:51; Luke 1:66; Proverbs 4:4; 1 Samuel 21:12; Genesis 37:11
  19. 20 Psalm 106:48; Acts 11:18; 1 Chronicles 29:10–12; Psalm 72:17–19; Matthew 9:8
  20. 21 Leviticus 12:3; Genesis 17:12; Luke 1:31; Luke 1:59; Matthew 1:21
  21. 22 Leviticus 12:1–8
  22. 23 Exodus 13:2; Numbers 3:13; Exodus 22:29; Numbers 18:15; Exodus 34:19
  23. 24 Leviticus 12:6–8; Leviticus 12:2; 2 Corinthians 8:9
  24. 25 Isaiah 25:9; Luke 2:38; Luke 1:6; Titus 2:11–14; Mark 15:43
  25. 26 John 8:51; Hebrews 11:5; Luke 9:27; Acts 10:38; John 20:31
  26. 27 Luke 2:22; Matthew 4:1; Luke 2:48; Luke 2:41; Acts 10:19
  27. 28 Luke 1:64; Luke 2:13–14; Mark 9:36; Luke 2:20; Mark 10:16
  28. 29 Revelation 14:13; Genesis 15:15; Philippians 1:23; Genesis 46:30; Isaiah 57:1–2
  29. 30 Isaiah 49:6; Luke 2:10–11; Genesis 49:18; Isaiah 52:10; Luke 3:6
  30. 31 Isaiah 42:1–4; Isaiah 62:1–2; Psalm 98:2–3; Isaiah 42:10–12; Isaiah 45:21–25
  31. 32 Isaiah 60:1–3; Isaiah 49:6; Acts 26:23; Acts 13:47–48; Isaiah 42:6–7
  32. 33 Isaiah 8:18; Luke 1:65–66; Luke 2:48
  33. 34 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Peter 2:7–8; Isaiah 8:14–15; Matthew 21:44; 2 Corinthians 2:15–16
  34. 35 Deuteronomy 8:2; 1 Corinthians 11:19; Matthew 12:24–35; Luke 16:14–15; Acts 8:21–23
  35. 36 Psalm 92:14; Exodus 15:20; Genesis 30:13; Judges 4:4; Acts 2:18
  36. 37 1 Timothy 5:5; Psalm 23:6; Acts 14:23; Psalm 27:4; Acts 13:3
  37. 38 Luke 2:25; 2 Corinthians 9:15; Luke 1:68; Mark 15:43; Luke 24:21
  38. 39 Luke 2:4; Galatians 4:4–5; Matthew 3:15; Deuteronomy 12:32; Luke 2:21–24
  39. 40 Luke 2:52; Luke 1:80; Isaiah 11:1–5; John 1:14; 1 Samuel 2:26
  40. 41 Numbers 28:16; Leviticus 23:5; Exodus 23:14–17; Deuteronomy 16:1–8; Exodus 12:14
  41. 43 2 Chronicles 30:21–23; Exodus 12:15; 2 Chronicles 25:17
  42. 44 Isaiah 2:3; Psalm 122:1–4; Psalm 42:4
  43. 46 Isaiah 49:1–2; Luke 5:17; Isaiah 50:4; Acts 5:34; Matthew 27:63–64
  44. 47 Matthew 7:28; Luke 4:32; Psalm 119:99; John 7:15; Luke 4:22
  45. 48 Luke 2:49; Matthew 12:46; Luke 3:23; Luke 4:22
  46. 49 John 6:38; John 8:29; Malachi 3:1; Psalm 40:8; John 4:34
  47. 50 Luke 18:34; Mark 9:32; Luke 9:45
  48. 51 Luke 2:19; Daniel 7:28; Genesis 37:11; Mark 6:3; Ephesians 5:21
  49. 52 Luke 2:40; Proverbs 3:3–4; 1 Samuel 2:26; Romans 14:18; Luke 1:80

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

Why does my Bible say something different?

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Quotes verse 2:42 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (Book I, Chapters III–IV)

    The production, again, of the Duodecad of the Æons, is indicated by the fact that the Lord was twelve years of age when He disputed with the teachers of the law, and by the election of the apostles, for of these there were twelve.

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  2. Quotes verse 2:14 Augustine of Hippo, Confessions (Book XIII, Chapters VI–XI)

    In Thy good pleasure lies our peace. The body by its own weight gravitates towards its own place.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)

  3. Quotes verse 2:48 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily III)

    See, for instance, what saith the Virgin even to Himself: "Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee." For if this suspicion had been entertained, neither would He any longer have been accounted to be a Son of David, and this opinion not being held, many other evils besides would have arisen.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)

  4. Quotes verse 2:49 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture VII)

    For we shall not tolerate the heretics who sever the Old Testament from the New, but shall believe Christ, who says concerning the temple, Wist ye not that I must be in My Father's house?

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)

  5. Quotes verse 2:14 Basil of Caesarea, On the Holy Spirit (Chapter XVI)

    For how are angels to cry "Glory to God in the highest" without being empowered by the Spirit?

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)