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Grow With Me

Luke 2:23

“(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb will be called holy to the Lord”),”

Luke 2:23 · direct translation from the Greek
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With the Greek beneath

23

Quotation · Exodus 13:2

Go to Exodus 13:2

Luke sums up the law of Exodus 13:2 and 13:12: the first male that “opens the womb” is consecrated to the Lord.

Formula: καθὼς γέγραπται ἐν νόμῳ κυρίου ὅτι “as it is written in the law of the Lord” (Luke 2:23)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: καθὼς γέγραπται ἐν νόμῳ κυρίου ὅτι Πᾶν ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν ἅγιον τῷ κυρίῳ κληθήσεται

Hebrew (Masoretic text): קַדֶּשׁ לִי כָל בְּכוֹר פֶּטֶר כָּל רֶחֶם בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה לִי הוּא

This passage could not be located with certainty in the transcription of the Septuagint we use, so it is not compared.

Firstbornבְּכוֹר / πρωτότοκοςבכור prōtotokos

The first male child. According to the law he belonged to YHWH and was redeemed (Exodus 13:2, 13), and he received a double portion of the inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17). The New Testament calls Jesus “firstborn” (Luke 2:7; Colossians 1:15).

See it in the glossary

Luke 2:23, word by word

it is writtenγέγραπταιgegraptai

it is written

So the Bible says; a passage is quoted.

Where else “gegraptai” appears
the lawνόμῳnomōi

law

The instructions God gave Israel through Moses; also, the whole of Scripture.

Where else “nomōi” appears
of the Lordκυρίουkyriou

Lord

The Lord: God, whose name is YHWH; also Jesus.

Where else “kyriou” appears
maleἄρσενarsen

male

Male.

Where else “arsen” appears
that opensδιανοῖγονdianoigon

open

Open fully: eyes, heavens, heart, understanding.

Where else “dianoigon” appears
the wombμήτρανmētran

womb

Womb.

Where else “mētran” appears
will be calledκληθήσεταιklēthēsetai

call

To give someone a name.

Where else “klēthēsetai” appears
holyἅγιονhagion

holy

Holy, like God: pure and majestic; or what is his.

Where else “hagion” appears

Translation note

It takes up Exodus 13:2 and 12.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Exodus 13:2

Luke sums up the law of Exodus 13:2 and 13:12: the first male that “opens the womb” is consecrated to the Lord.

See them side by side

Luke 2:23

23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb will be called holy to the Lord”),

Exodus 13:2

2“Consecrate to me every firstborn; the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, of people and of animals, is mine.”

The context

22And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

23 · This verse (above)

24and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Read all of Luke 2

To study Luke 2 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What sign does the angel give the shepherds to recognize the child, and what do they do afterward? (vv. 10-20)

  2. 2. What it means

    What do Simeon and Anna say about the child, and why do their words amaze Joseph and Mary? (vv. 25-38)

  3. 3. How I live it

    Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart (v. 19). What could you keep and ponder this week?

How to use it