English Standard Version
Luke 2:1
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
Luke 2:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
- New International Version (NIV)In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
- New Living Translation (NLT)At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.
Context of Luke 2:1
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
Read all of Luke 2Luke 2:1 word by word
Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐξῆλθεν δόγμα παρὰ Καίσαρος Αὐγούστου ἀπογράφεσθαι πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- it came to passγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- those daysὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- those daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
- there went outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- a decreeδόγμαdogma · decreeG1378
- fromπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
- CesarΚαῖσαρKaisar · CaesarG2541
- AugustusΑὔγουστοςAugoustos · AugustusG828
- that allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- the worldοἰκουμένηoikoumenē · worldG3625
- should be taxedἀπογράφωapographō · to registerG583
Cross-references for Luke 2:1
- Luke 3:1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
- Acts 11:28And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).
- Acts 25:11If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar."
- Philippians 4:22All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
- Matthew 24:14And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
- Mark 14:9And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."
- Mark 16:15And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
- Romans 1:8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
Commentaries on Luke 2:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Caesar Augustus - This was Caius Caesar Octavianus Augustus, who was proclaimed emperor of Rome in the 29th year before our Lord, and died a.d. 14. That all the world should be taxed - , the whole of that empire. It is agreed, on all hands, that this cannot mean the whole world, as in the common translation; for this very sufficient reason, that the Romans had not the dominion of the whole earth, and therefore could have no right to raise levies or taxes…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1In those days - About the time of the birth of John and of Christ. A decree - A law commanding a thing to be done. Caesar Augustus - This was the Roman emperor. His first name was Octavianus. He was the nephew of Julius Caesar, and obtained the empire after his death. He took the name “Augustus - i. e., august,” or honorable - as a compliment to his own greatness; and from him the month “August,” which was before called “Sextilis,” received its name. That…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The birth of Christ. (1-7) It is made known to the shepherds. (8-20) Christ presented in the temple. (21-24) Simeon prophesies concerning Jesus. (25-35) Anna prophesies concerning him. (36-40) Christ with the learned men in the temple. (41-52) Verses 1-7 The fulness of time was now come, when God would send forth his Son, made of a woman, and made under the law. The circumstances of his birth were very mean. Christ was born at an inn; he came into the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Caesar Augustus was also called Octavian. He ruled the Roman Empire from 27 BC to AD 14. Before his rule, Rome was a republic governed by the Senate. The Senate gave Augustus supreme power, and Rome became an empire. Augustus protected the empire’s borders and began the Pax Romana (“Roman Peace”). This was a long period of peace and success around the Mediterranean Sea. A census was an official count of the people. Rome used a census to register people…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-71. Cæsar Augustus--the first of the Roman emperors. all the world--so the vast Roman Empire was termed. taxed--enrolled, or register themselves.Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 2:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries