Lukas 2:17-21

2:17 When ¹  they saw him, ²  they related what they had been told ³  about this child, 2:18 and all who heard it were astonished ⁴  at what the shepherds said. 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean. ⁵  2:20 So ⁶  the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising ⁷  God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told. ⁸ 

2:21 At ⁹  the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel ¹⁰  before he was conceived in the womb.

[2:17]  ¹ tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[2:17]  ² tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[2:17]  ³ tn Grk “the word which had been spoken to them.”

[2:18]  ⁴ tn Grk “marveled.” It is a hard word to translate with one term in this context. There is a mixture of amazement and pondering at work in considering the surprising events here. See Luke 1:21, 63; 2:33.

[2:19]  ⁵ tn The term συμβάλλουσα (sumballousa) suggests more than remembering. She is trying to put things together here (Josephus, Ant. 2.5.3 [2.72]). The words “what they might mean” have been supplied in the translation to make this clear. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[2:20]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.

[2:20]  ⁷ sn The mention of glorifying and praising God is the second note of praise in this section; see Luke 2:13-14.

[2:20]  ⁸ tn Grk “just as [it] had been spoken to them.” This has been simplified in the English translation by making the prepositional phrase (“to them”) the subject of the passive verb.

[2:20]  sn The closing remark just as they had been told notes a major theme of Luke 1-2 as he sought to reassure Theophilus: God does what he says he will do.

[2:21]  ⁹ tn Grk “And when eight days were completed.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[2:21]  ¹⁰ sn Jesus’ parents obeyed the angel as Zechariah and Elizabeth had (1:57-66). These events are taking place very much under God’s direction.