Luke 2:39-42

2:39 So ¹  when Joseph and Mary ²  had performed ³  everything according to the law of the Lord, ⁴  they returned to Galilee, to their own town ⁵  of Nazareth. ⁶  2:40 And the child grew and became strong, ⁷  filled with wisdom, ⁸  and the favor ⁹  of God ¹⁰  was upon him.

Jesus in the Temple

2:41 Now ¹¹  Jesus’ ¹²  parents went to Jerusalem ¹³  every ¹⁴  year for the feast of the Passover. ¹⁵  2:42 When ¹⁶  he was twelve years old, ¹⁷  they went up ¹⁸  according to custom.

[2:39]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.

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

[2:39]  ³ tn Or “completed.”

[2:39]  ⁴ sn On the phrase the law of the Lord see Luke 2:22-23.

[2:39]  ⁵ tn Or “city.”

[2:39]  ⁶ map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.

[2:40]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ sn With the description grew and became strong, filled with wisdom Luke emphasizes the humanity of Jesus and his growth toward maturity.

[2:40]  ⁹ tn Or “grace.”

[2:40]  ¹⁰ sn On the phrase the favor of God see Luke 1:66.

[2:41]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[2:41]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:41]  ¹⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:41]  ¹⁶ tn On the distributive use of the term κατά (kata), see BDF §305.

[2:41]  ¹⁷ 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).

[2:42]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[2:42]  ²⁰ 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).

[2:42]  ²¹ tc Most mss, especially later ones (A C^vid Θ Ψ 0130 Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat) have εἰς ῾Ιεροσόλυμα (eij" &ierosoluma, “to Jerusalem”) here, but the ms support for the omission is much stronger (א B D L W 579 1241 pc co); further, the longer reading clarifies what they went up to and thus looks like a motivated reading.