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

35so the thoughts of many hearts may be uncovered. (And even for you, a sword will pierce through your soul.)” 36Now Anna, a daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, was a prophetess. She was well advanced in age, having lived with a husband only seven years and then as a widow until age eighty-four. She never left the Temple, serving night and day with fasting and prayers. 38And coming up at that very instant, she began praising God and speaking about the Child to all those waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39When Joseph and Miriam had completed everything according to the Torah of Adonai, they returned to the Galilee, to their own city of Natzeret.

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 the base from bronze, with mirrors from the women who served at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
• 1 Samuel 2:2There is none holy as Adonai, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.
• Psalms 23:6Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of Adonai forever.
• Psalms 27:4One thing have I asked of Adonai, that will I seek: to dwell in the House of Adonai all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Adonai, and to meditate in His Temple.
• Psalms 84:4Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young —near Your altars, Adonai-Tzva’ot— my King and my God!
• Psalms 92:13The righteous will flourish like a palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
• Psalms 135:1Halleluyah! Praise the Name of Adonai. Give praise, O servants of Adonai—
• Revelation 3:12The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the Temple of My God, and he will never leave it. And on him I will write 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 My own new Name.
• Psalms 22:2My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Distant from my salvation are the words of my groaning.
• Acts 26:7It is the promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jewish people, O King!
• 1 Timothy 5:5Now she who is really a widow and has been left alone, has put her hope in God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.
• Revelation 7:15For this reason, they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His Temple. The One seated on the throne will shelter 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