Luke 2:7

2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth ¹  and laid him in a manger, ²  because there was no place for them in the inn. ³ 

Luke 2:39-40

2:39 So ⁴  when Joseph and Mary ⁵  had performed ⁶  everything according to the law of the Lord, ⁷  they returned to Galilee, to their own town ⁸  of Nazareth. ⁹  2:40 And the child grew and became strong, ¹⁰  filled with wisdom, ¹¹  and the favor ¹²  of God ¹³  was upon him.

Luke 2:51-52

2:51 Then ¹⁴  he went down with them and came to Nazareth, ¹⁵  and was obedient ¹⁶  to them. But ¹⁷  his mother kept all these things ¹⁸  in her heart. ¹⁹ 

2:52 And Jesus increased ²⁰  in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.

[2:7]  ¹ sn The strips of cloth (traditionally, “swaddling cloths”) were strips of linen that would be wrapped around the arms and legs of an infant to keep the limbs protected.

[2:7]  ² tn Or “a feeding trough.”

[2:7]  ³ tn The Greek word κατάλυμα is flexible, and usage in the LXX and NT refers to a variety of places for lodging (see BDAG 521 s.v.). Most likely Joseph and Mary sought lodging in the public accommodations in the city of Bethlehem (see J. Nolland, Luke [WBC], 1:105), which would have been crude shelters for people and animals. However, it has been suggested by various scholars that Joseph and Mary were staying with relatives in Bethlehem (e.g., C. S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 194; B. Witherington, “Birth of Jesus,” DJG, 69-70); if that were so the term would refer to the guest room in the relatives’ house, which would have been filled beyond capacity with all the other relatives who had to journey to Bethlehem for the census.

[2:39]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.

[2:39]  ⁵ tn Grk “when they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:39]  ⁶ tn Or “completed.”

[2:39]  ⁷ sn On the phrase the law of the Lord see Luke 2:22-23.

[2:39]  ⁸ tn Or “city.”

[2:39]  ⁹ map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.

[2:40]  ¹⁰ tc Most mss (A Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï) read πνεύματι (pneumati, “in spirit”) after “became strong,” but this looks like an assimilation to Luke 1:80. The better witnesses (א B D L N W pc lat co) lack the word.

[2:40]  ¹¹ sn With the description grew and became strong, filled with wisdom Luke emphasizes the humanity of Jesus and his growth toward maturity.

[2:40]  ¹² tn Or “grace.”

[2:40]  ¹³ sn On the phrase the favor of God see Luke 1:66.

[2:51]  ¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[2:51]  ¹⁵ map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.

[2:51]  ¹⁶ tn Or “was submitting.”

[2:51]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.

[2:51]  ¹⁸ tn Or “all these words.”

[2:51]  ¹⁹ sn On the phrase his mother kept all these things in her heart compare Luke 2:19.

[2:52]  ²⁰ tn Or “kept increasing.” The imperfect tense suggests something of a progressive force to the verb.