Luke 2:37

Luke 2:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
• New International Version (NIV)and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Context of Luke 2:37

35the thoughts of those who reject him. And a sword will pierce your heart.” 36Anna, a prophet, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was now very old. Her husband had died seven years after they were married, and she had been a widow for 84 years. Anna never left the temple courtyard but worshiped day and night by fasting and praying. 38At that moment she came up to Mary and Joseph and began to thank God. She spoke about Jesus to all who were waiting for Jerusalem to be set free. 39After doing everything the Lord’s Teachings required, Joseph and Mary returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee.

Luke 2:37 word by word

καὶ αὐτὴ χήρα ἕως ἐτῶν ὀγδοήκοντα τεσσάρων ἣ οὐκ ἀφίστατο τοῦ ἱεροῦ νηστείαις καὶ δεήσεσιν λατρεύουσα νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• sheοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• a widowχήραchēra · widowG5503
• of aboutὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• fourscore and fourὀγδοήκονταogdoēkonta · eightyG3589
• fourscore and fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
• yearsἔτοςetos · yearG2094
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• departedἀφίστημιaphistēmi · to leaveG868
• notοὐou · noG3756
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the templeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the templeἱερόνhieron · templeG2411
• but servedλατρεύωlatreuō · to ministerG3000
• with fastingsνηστείαnēsteia · fastingG3521
• prayersδέησιςdeēsis · petitionG1162
• nightνύξnux · nightG3571
• dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250

Cross-references for Luke 2:37

• Exodus 38:8He made the basin and stand out of the bronze mirrors given by the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
• 1 Samuel 2:2There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one but you, O Lord. There is no Rock like our God.
• Psalms 23:6Certainly, goodness and mercy will stay close to me all the days of my life, and I will remain in the Lord’s house for days without end.
• Psalms 27:4I have asked one thing from the Lord. This I will seek: to remain in the Lord’s house all the days of my life in order to gaze at the Lord’s beauty and to search for an answer in his temple.
• Psalms 84:4Blessed are those who live in your house. They are always praising you. Selah
• Psalms 92:13They are planted in the Lord’s house. They blossom in our God’s courtyards.
• Psalms 135:1Hallelujah! Praise the name of the Lord. Praise him, you servants of the Lord
• Revelation 3:12I will make everyone who wins the victory a pillar in the temple of my God. They will never leave it again. I will write on them the name of my God, the name of the city of my God (the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from my God), and my new name.
• Psalms 22:2My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer— also at night, but I find no rest.
• Acts 26:7Our twelve tribes expect this promise to be kept as they worship with intense devotion day and night. Your Majesty, the Jews are making accusations against me because I expect God to keep his promise.
• 1 Timothy 5:5A widow who has no family has placed her confidence in God by praying and asking for his help night and day.
• Revelation 7:15That is why they are in front of the throne of God. They serve him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

Commentaries on Luke 2:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37Departed not from the temple - Attended constantly at the hours of prayer, which were nine in the morning and three in the afternoon. See Acts 2:15; Acts 3:1. It does not appear that women had any other functions to perform in that holy place. With fastings - She accompanied her devotion with frequent fastings, probably not oftener than twice in the week; for this was the custom of the most rigid Pharisees: see Luke 18:12.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years - That is, she was about 84 years of age. It does not mean that she had been a widow for that long time. Fastings and prayers - Constant religious service. pending her time in prayer, and in all the ordinances of religion. Night and day - Continually - that is, at the usual times of public worship and in private. When it is said that she departed not from the temple, it is meant that she was “constant”…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-40Verses 36-40 There was much evil then in the church, yet God left not himself without witness. Anna always dwelt in, or at least attended at, the temple. She was always in a praying spirit; gave herself to prayer, and in all things she served God. Those to whom Christ is made known, have great reason to thank the Lord. She taught others concerning him. Let the example of the venerable saints, Simeon and Anna, give courage to those whose hoary heads are…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37was a widow to the age of eighty-four: In the ancient world, people associated old age with wisdom and honor. She never left the temple: This is likely an intentional extreme statement (an exaggeration). It is the same as saying something like, “She was there all the time.” This statement shows her total commitment to God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3737. departed not from the temple--was found there at all stated hours of the day, and even during the night services of the temple watchmen (Psa 134:1, 2), "serving God with fastings and prayer." (See 1Ti 5:5, suggested by this.)Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 2:37

• Anna
• Fasting
• Jesus, the Christ
• Joseph
• Longevity
• Old Age
• Prayer
• Prayerfulness
• Prophetesses
• Religion
• Temple
• Widow
• Women

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Anna
• Consolation
• Decree
• Depart
• Devout
• Glory
• Inn
• Lighten

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