The Meaning of Luke 2:16 Explained

Luke 2:16

KJV: And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

YLT: And they came, having hasted, and found both Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger,

Darby: And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger;

ASV: And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  they came  with haste,  and  found  Mary,  and  Joseph,  and  the babe  lying  in  a manger. 

What does Luke 2:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 2:15-24 - Welcomed Named Presented
From April till the autumn the flocks pastured at night in the open fields, from which it seems probable that our Lord must have been born earlier or later than December. No doubt these shepherds were, like Simeon, "waiting for the consolation of Israel," and their purity of life and simplicity of soul well qualified them to receive the blessed tidings of the angels. First simplicity and afterward science, Matthew 2:1-23, found their way into the presence of Jesus.
In the act of circumcision, our Lord admitted His obligation to fulfill the whole Law, Galatians 5:3. He was "made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law," Galatians 4:4-5. Mary could afford only the gift of the poor, Leviticus 12:6-8; Leviticus 5:7-11; 2 Corinthians 8:9. The precious name of Jesus-Savior-is the name above every name, Acts 4:10-12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 2

1  Augustus taxes all the Roman empire
6  The nativity of Jesus
8  An angel relates it to the shepherds, and many sing praises to God for it
15  The shepherds glorify God
21  Jesus is circumcised
22  Mary purified
25  Simeon and Anna prophesy of Jesus,
39  who increases in wisdom,
41  questions in the temple with the teachers,
51  and is obedient to his parents

Greek Commentary for Luke 2:16

With haste [σπευσαντες]
Aorist active participle of simultaneous action. [source]
Found [ανευραν]
Second aorist active indicative of a common Greek verb ανευρισκω — aneuriskō but only in Luke in the N.T. The compound ανα — ana suggests a search before finding. [source]
Found [ἀνεῦραν]
Only here and Acts 21:4. Ἀνά indicates the discovery of the facts in succession. [source]
Mary and Joseph and the babe []
Each has the article, pointing to the several parties already referred to. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 2:16

Luke 13:15 Hypocrites [υποκριται]
This pretentious faultfinder and all who agree with him.Each of you (εκαστος υμων — hekastos humōn). An argumentum ad hominen. These very critics of Jesus cared too much for an ox or an ass to leave it all the sabbath without water.Stall Old word, in the N.T. only here and Luke 2:7, Luke 2:12, Luke 2:16 the manger where the infant Jesus was placed.To watering (ποτιζει — potizei). Old verb, causative, to give to drink. [source]
Luke 13:15 Stall [πατνης]
Old word, in the N.T. only here and Luke 2:7, Luke 2:12, Luke 2:16 the manger where the infant Jesus was placed.To watering (ποτιζει — potizei). Old verb, causative, to give to drink. [source]
Acts 21:4 Finding disciples [ἀνευρόντες τοὺς μαθητὰς]
The verb means to discover after search; and the article, the disciples, refers to the disciples who lived and were recognized members of the church there. The A. V. overlooks both the preposition and the article. The verb might be rendered strictly by our common phrase, “having looked up the disciples.” See on Luke 2:16. A small number of disciples is implied in Acts 21:5. [source]
Acts 20:16 To sail past Ephesus [παραπλευσαι την Επεσον]
First aorist active infinitive of παραπλεω — parapleō old verb to sail beside, only here in the N.T. That he might not have (οπως μη γενηται αυτωι — hopōs mē genētai autōi). Final clause (negative) with aorist middle subjunctive of γινομαι — ginomai and dative “that it might not happen to him.” To spend time First aorist active of the late compound verb χρονοτριβεω — chronotribeō He was hastening (εσπευδεν — espeuden). Imperfect active of σπευδω — speudō old verb to hasten as in Luke 2:16. If it were possible for him Condition of the fourth class (optative mode), if it should be possible for him. The form is a remote possibility. It was only some thirty days till Pentecost. The day of Pentecost (την ημεραν της πεντηκοστης — tēn hēmeran tēs pentēkostēs). Note the accusative case. Paul wanted to be there for the whole day. See Acts 2:1 for this very phrase. [source]
Acts 20:16 To spend time [χρονοτριβησαι]
First aorist active of the late compound verb χρονοτριβεω — chronotribeō He was hastening (εσπευδεν — espeuden). Imperfect active of σπευδω — speudō old verb to hasten as in Luke 2:16. If it were possible for him Condition of the fourth class (optative mode), if it should be possible for him. The form is a remote possibility. It was only some thirty days till Pentecost. The day of Pentecost (την ημεραν της πεντηκοστης — tēn hēmeran tēs pentēkostēs). Note the accusative case. Paul wanted to be there for the whole day. See Acts 2:1 for this very phrase. [source]
Acts 20:16 He was hastening [εσπευδεν]
Imperfect active of σπευδω — speudō old verb to hasten as in Luke 2:16. [source]
1 Peter 2:2 Babes [βρέθη]
The word signifying peculiarly a child at birth, or of tender years. See Luke 18:15; Acts 7:19. Of the infant Jesus, Luke 2:12, Luke 2:16. Here marking the recency of Christian life in the converts addressed. [source]
2 Peter 3:12 Looking for [προσδοκωντας]
Present active participle of προσδοκαω — prosdokaō (Matthew 11:3) agreeing in case (accusative plural) with υμας — humās desiring Present active participle, accusative also, of σπευδω — speudō old verb, to hasten (like our speed) as in Luke 2:16, but it is sometimes transitive as here either (preferably so) to “hasten on the parousia” by holy living (cf. 1 Peter 2:12), with which idea compare Matthew 6:10; Acts 3:19., or to desire earnestly (Isaiah 16:5). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 2:16 mean?

And they came having hurried found - both Mary - Joseph the baby lying in the manger
Καὶ ἦλθαν σπεύσαντες ἀνεῦραν τήν τε Μαριὰμ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὸ βρέφος κείμενον ἐν τῇ φάτνῃ

ἦλθαν  they  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
σπεύσαντες  having  hurried 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: σπεύδω  
Sense: to haste, make haste.
ἀνεῦραν  found 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀνευρίσκω  
Sense: to find out by search.
τήν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τε  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: τέ  
Sense: not only … but also.
Μαριὰμ  Mary 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Μαρία 
Sense: Mary the mother of Jesus.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰωσὴφ  Joseph 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωσήφ 
Sense: the patriarch, the eleventh son of Jacob.
βρέφος  baby 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: βρέφος  
Sense: an unborn child, embryo, a foetus.
κείμενον  lying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: κεῖμαι  
Sense: to lie.
φάτνῃ  manger 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: φάτνη  
Sense: a crib, a manger.

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