Devine Scripture

Luke 2:4

What does Luke 2:4 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 2:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 2:4 means

Joseph, being a descendant of King David, had to travel to Bethlehem, known as the "city of David," to register according to the Roman census. This detail is profoundly significant, as it directly fulfills the prophecy in Micah 5:2, which declared that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. What might have seemed like an inconvenient requirement for Joseph and Mary was, in fact, God's perfect orchestration to ensure that His Son was born in the exact location foretold centuries earlier.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judaea, to Beth-lehem, the town of David, because he was of the house and family of David,

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, that is called Bethlehem, because of his being of the house and family of David,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city Nazareth to Judaea, to David's city, the which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

Context

This verse specifies Joseph's journey, directly connecting him to the city of David, Bethlehem. This crucial detail fulfills Old Testament prophecy regarding the Messiah's birthplace, a detail that would have been well understood by a Jewish audience. It directly sets up the subsequent mention of Mary's condition and the birth itself.

v.3And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city.

v.4This passage

v.5to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Micah 5:2

    But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

  • Luke 1:26

    Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

  • John 7:42

    Hath not the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?

  • Genesis 35:19

    And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath (the same is Beth-lehem).

  • Matthew 2:23

    and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene.

  • 1 Samuel 17:58

    And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.

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