2:39 So 6 when Joseph and Mary 7 had performed 8 everything according to the law of the Lord, 9 they returned to Galilee, to their own town 10 of Nazareth. 11 2:40 And the child grew and became strong, 12 filled with wisdom, 13 and the favor 14 of God 15 was upon him.
2:41 Now 16 Jesus’ 17 parents went to Jerusalem 18 every 19 year for the feast of the Passover. 20 2:42 When 21 he was twelve years old, 22 they went up 23 according to custom. 2:43 But 24 when the feast was over, 25 as they were returning home, 26 the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His 27 parents 28 did not know it, 2:44 but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers) 29 they went a day’s journey. Then 30 they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances. 31 2:45 When 32 they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem 33 to look for him. 2:46 After 34 three days 35 they found him in the temple courts, 36 sitting among the teachers, 37 listening to them and asking them questions. 2:47 And all who heard Jesus 38 were astonished 39 at his understanding and his answers. 2:48 When 40 his parents 41 saw him, they were overwhelmed. His 42 mother said to him, “Child, 43 why have you treated 44 us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” 45 2:49 But 46 he replied, 47 “Why were you looking for me? 48 Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 49 2:50 Yet 50 his parents 51 did not understand 52 the remark 53 he made 54 to them. 2:51 Then 55 he went down with them and came to Nazareth, 56 and was obedient 57 to them. But 58 his mother kept all these things 59 in her heart. 60
2:52 And Jesus increased 61 in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.
1 tn Grk “at that very hour.”
2 tn Grk “And coming up.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. The participle ἐπιστᾶσα (epistasa) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
3 tn The imperfect ἐλάλει (elalei) here looks at a process of declaration, not a single moment. She clearly was led by God to address men and women about the hope Jesus was. The testimony of Luke 1—2 to Jesus has involved all types of people.
4 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the child) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tc A few
6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.
7 tn Grk “when they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Or “completed.”
9 sn On the phrase the law of the Lord see Luke 2:22-23.
10 tn Or “city.”
11 map For location see Map1-D3; Map2-C2; Map3-D5; Map4-C1; Map5-G3.
12 tc Most
13 sn With the description grew and became strong, filled with wisdom Luke emphasizes the humanity of Jesus and his growth toward maturity.
14 tn Or “grace.”
15 sn On the phrase the favor of God see Luke 1:66.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
17 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
19 tn On the distributive use of the term κατά (kata), see BDF §305.
20 sn The custom of Jesus and his family going to Jerusalem every year for the feast of the Passover shows their piety in obeying the law (Exod 23:14-17).
21 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
22 sn According to the Mishnah, the age of twelve years old is one year before a boy becomes responsible for his religious commitments (m. Niddah 5.6).
23 tc Most
24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated contrastively in keeping with the context. This outcome is different from what had happened all the times before.
25 tn Grk “when the days ended.”
26 tn The word “home” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity.
27 tn Grk “And his.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
28 tc Most
29 sn An ancient journey like this would have involved a caravan of people who traveled together as a group for protection and fellowship.
30 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
31 tn Or “and friends.” See L&N 28.30 and 34.17.
32 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
33 sn The return to Jerusalem would have taken a second day, since they were already one day’s journey away.
34 tn Grk “And it happened that after.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
35 sn Three days means there was one day out, another day back, and a third day of looking in Jerusalem.
36 tn Grk “the temple.”
37 tn This is the only place in Luke’s Gospel where the term διδάσκαλος (didaskalo", “teacher”) is applied to Jews.
38 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
39 sn There was wonder (all who heard…were astonished) that Jesus at such a young age could engage in such a discussion. The fact that this story is told of a preteen hints that Jesus was someone special.
40 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
41 tn Grk “when they”; the referent (his parents) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
42 tn Grk “And his.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
43 tn The Greek word here is τέκνον (teknon) rather than υἱός (Juios, “son”).
44 tn Or “Child, why did you do this to us?”
45 tn Or “your father and I have been terribly worried looking for you.”
46 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
47 tn Grk “he said to them.”
48 tn Grk “Why is it that you were looking for me?”
49 tn Or “I must be about my Father’s business” (so KJV, NKJV); Grk “in the [things] of my Father,” with an ellipsis. This verse involves an idiom that probably refers to the necessity of Jesus being involved in the instruction about God, given what he is doing. The most widely held view today takes this as a reference to the temple as the Father’s house. Jesus is saying that his parents should have known where he was.
50 tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast.
51 tn Grk “they”; the referent (his parents) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
52 sn This was the first of many times those around Jesus did not understand what he was saying at the time (9:45; 10:21-24; 18:34).
53 tn Or “the matter.”
54 tn Grk “which he spoke.”
55 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
56 map For location see Map1-D3; Map2-C2; Map3-D5; Map4-C1; Map5-G3.
57 tn Or “was submitting.”
58 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
59 tn Or “all these words.”
60 sn On the phrase his mother kept all these things in her heart compare Luke 2:19.
61 tn Or “kept increasing.” The imperfect tense suggests something of a progressive force to the verb.