Luke 2:8

Luke 2:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
• New International Version (NIV)And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
• New Living Translation (NLT)That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.

Context of Luke 2:8

6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Luke 2:8 word by word

Καὶ ποιμένες ἦσαν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῇ αὐτῇ ἀγραυλοῦντες καὶ φυλάσσοντες φυλακὰς τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ποίμνην αὐτῶν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·καίkai · andG2532
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• there wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the sameαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• countryχώραchōra · countryG5561
• shepherdsποιμήνpoimēn · shepherdG4166
• abiding in the fieldἀγραυλέωagrauleō · to live outsideG63
• keepingφυλάσσωphulassō · to keep/guard: protectG5442
• watchφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: watchG5438
• overἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• flockποίμνηpoimnē · flockG4167
• by nightνύξnux · nightG3571

Cross-references for Luke 2:8

• Genesis 31:39What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
• Exodus 3:1Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
• 1 Samuel 17:34But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock,
• Psalms 78:70He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
• Ezekiel 34:8As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep,
• John 10:8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

Commentaries on Luke 2:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8There were - shepherds abiding in the field - There is no intimation here that these shepherds were exposed to the open air. They dwelt in the fields where they had their sheep penned up; but they undoubtedly had tents or booths under which they dwelt. Keeping watch - by night - Or, as in the margin, keeping the watches of the night, i.e. each one keeping a watch (which ordinarily consisted of three hours) in his turn. The reason why they watched them in…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The same country - Round about Bethlehem. Shepherds - Men who tended flocks of sheep. Abiding in the field - Remaining out of doors, under the open sky, with their flocks. This was commonly done. The climate was mild, and, to keep their flocks from straying, they spent the night with them. It is also a fact that the Jews sent out their flocks into the mountainous and desert regions during the summer months, and took them up in the latter part of October…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-20Verses 8-20 Angels were heralds of the new-born Saviour, but they were only sent to some poor, humble, pious, industrious shepherds, who were in the business of their calling, keeping watch over their flock. We are not out of the way of Divine visits, when we are employed in an honest calling, and abide with God in it. Let God have the honour of this work; Glory to God in the highest. God's good-will to men, manifested in sending the Messiah, redounds to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Shepherds were sometimes described in Judaism as wandering people and even as dishonest troublemakers. However, this view was not the same everywhere. In the Old Testament, shepherds are often seen in a positive way (for example, Psalm 23:1). Jesus came to people like these, who were ordinary, poor, and humble. residing in the fields: This detail suggests a warmer time of year, perhaps from March to November, although some shepherds stayed outside all…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-208. abiding in the fields--staying there, probably in huts or tents. watch ... by night--or, night watches, taking their turn of watching. From about passover time in April until autumn, the flocks pastured constantly in the open fields, the shepherds lodging there all that time. (From this it seems plain that the period of the year usually assigned to our Lord's birth is too late). Were these shepherds chosen to have the first sight of the blessed Babe…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 2:8

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Cloud
• Jesus, the Christ
• Mary
• Shepherd

In the dictionaries

• Consolation
• Decree
• Depart
• Devout
• Glory
• Inn
• Jesus
• Lighten
• Pair
• Ponder

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