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 Living Translation (NLT)Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.

Context of Luke 2:37

35(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” 36Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 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. 38And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. 39So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

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 laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
• 1 Samuel 2:2“No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
• Psalms 23:6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
• Psalms 27:4One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.
• Psalms 84:4Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah
• Psalms 92:13Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
• Psalms 135:1Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
• Revelation 3:12He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
• Psalms 22:2O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent.
• Acts 26:7To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.
• 1 Timothy 5:5Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.
• Revelation 7:15Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among 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
• Anna
• Consolation
• Decree
• Depart
• Devout
• Glory
• Inn
• Lighten
• Pair

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