Luke 2:1

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
• 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.

Context of Luke 2:1

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.

Luke 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 3:1It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene.
• Acts 11:28One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.)
• Acts 25:11If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!”
• Philippians 4:22And all the rest of God’s people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar’s household.
• Matthew 24:14And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.
• Mark 14:9I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”
• Mark 16:15And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
• Romans 1:8Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over 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

• Augustus
• Caesar
• Census
• Government
• Jesus, the Christ
• Joseph
• Roman Empire
• Tax
• Tribute (Taxes)

In the dictionaries

• Augustus
• Caesar
• Census
• 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