Luke 2 16

Luke 2:16 kjv

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

Luke 2:16 nkjv

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Luke 2:16 niv

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Luke 2:16 esv

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

Luke 2:16 nlt

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

Luke 2 verses

Luke 2 16 Meaning

Luke 2:16 describes the immediate and eager response of the shepherds to the angelic announcement of Christ's birth. Having received the divine message and the specific sign, they urgently journeyed to Bethlehem and found Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus lying in a manger, precisely as foretold by the heavenly host. This verse highlights the prompt obedience and humble belief of the shepherds as the first human witnesses to the fulfillment of prophecy, confirming the lowly yet divine birth of the Messiah.

Luke 2 16 Context

Luke 2:16 is set within the broader narrative of Jesus' birth. The chapter begins with Caesar Augustus' decree for a census, which divinely orchestrated Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem, the ancestral home of David, fulfilling ancient prophecies (Lk 2:1-5). Unable to find lodging, they settled in a humble place, where Jesus was born and laid in a manger (Lk 2:6-7). This set the stage for the pivotal event of the angelic announcement to the shepherds (Lk 2:8-14). Luke 2:15 then describes the shepherds' resolve to go and see what the Lord had revealed. Verse 16 culminates their obedient and eager journey, affirming the truth of the angelic message. Historically, Bethlehem, though small, was deeply significant as the "city of David" (1 Sam 17:12; Lk 2:4). The fact that the first earthly witnesses to the Messiah's birth were humble shepherds, a class often marginalized in society, subtly challenged the common Jewish expectation of a Messiah born into worldly power and pomp. Instead, God revealed His glory in lowliness, demonstrating that His kingdom values humility over worldly status.

Luke 2 16 Word analysis

• And (καὶ - kai): A simple conjunction, but crucial for narrative flow, connecting the shepherds' decision to their action, signifying direct consequence. It implies that the action of coming immediately followed their resolve.
• they came (ἦλθον - elthon): Refers specifically to the shepherds from verse 15. The Greek aorist tense denotes a completed action in the past, emphasizing their decisive and definite movement towards Bethlehem. This active verb highlights their initiative following divine instruction.
• with haste (μετὰ σπουδῆς - meta spoudēs): This phrase is significant. Spoudē conveys eagerness, diligence, zeal, and urgency. It implies that the shepherds did not delay or hesitate but moved quickly, driven by profound belief in the angel's words and an ardent desire to see the promised sign. Their promptness illustrates their faith and contrasts with common human hesitation. It echoes a proper response to God's revelation.
• and found (καὶ ἀνεῦρον - kai aneuuron): The verb aneuriskō means "to find out, discover, or find after searching." This word conveys success in their diligent search. It signifies divine guidance in fulfilling the angelic sign, affirming the precision of God's revelation and the reliability of His word. They didn't just happen upon it; they actively sought and verified.
• Mary (Μαρίαν - Marian): The mother of Jesus, central to God's redemptive plan (Lk 1:26-38). Her presence confirms the birth event's authenticity.
• and Joseph (καὶ Ἰωσὴφ - kai Iōsēph): The earthly father and guardian of Jesus, fulfilling prophecies of lineage through David. His presence completes the earthly family unit into which Jesus was born, emphasizing the normalcy of His human upbringing despite His divine nature.
• and the babe (καὶ τὸ βρέφος - kai to brephos): Brephos refers specifically to an infant, often a newborn. This term underlines the raw, vulnerable, human reality of the Messiah's birth, directly identifying the object of the angelic announcement (Lk 2:12). It is a simple, humble description of the Christ, in stark contrast to typical Messianic expectations of grandeur.
• lying (κείμενον - keimenon): The present participle suggests a continuous state – the babe was still lying there. It highlights the persistence of the "sign" the angels had given (Lk 2:12).
• in a manger (ἐν φάτνῃ - en phatnē): The Greek phatnē refers to a feeding trough for animals. This detail is the crucial "sign" from verse 12. Its significance is immense: it points to Jesus' humility from birth, His identification with the lowly, and the unexpected way God fulfills His promises. It starkly contrasts with worldly expectations for a king's birth and underlines the profound spiritual truth of the Incarnation – the King of kings born in the most humble circumstances.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And they came with haste": This phrase captures the immediate, earnest, and obedient response of the shepherds to God's revealed truth. Their zeal is commendable and serves as a model for how believers should respond to divine summons, not procrastinating but acting promptly on faith.
• "and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe": This demonstrates the precise fulfillment of the angelic sign (Lk 2:12). It emphasizes that their search was successful, validating the divine message. It confirms the reality of the Holy Family in the flesh, bringing the divine plan into tangible human experience.
• "lying in a manger": This group of words serves as the absolute verification point. This very humble, unassuming detail, precisely as described by the angels, became the unmistakable mark of the newborn King. It powerfully underscores the counter-cultural nature of God's kingdom and Christ's radical humility from His very first moments. It sets the tone for a life lived not in earthly splendor but in divine service and self-sacrifice.

Luke 2 16 Bonus section

The detail of the "manger" (φάτνῃ) not only symbolizes humility but also speaks to Christ as the "Bread of Life" (Jn 6:35, 48), laid in a place where food is typically provided for sustenance. He truly became nourishment for humanity, albeit spiritual. Furthermore, the selection of shepherds, often seen as ritually impure due to their occupation and excluded from mainstream synagogue life, highlights God's particular concern for the humble and outcast. They were chosen as the first human witnesses and evangelists of the good news, underscoring that the Kingdom of God embraces all who respond in faith, irrespective of social standing, demonstrating divine impartiality. This verse, therefore, quietly undermines any belief system that ties divine favor to human merit or societal status.

Luke 2 16 Commentary

Luke 2:16 is a poignant verse marking the climax of the shepherds' encounter with the divine. Having heard the glorious news from the angelic host, their faith was not merely intellectual assent but led to immediate action, encapsulated by the phrase "with haste." This eagerness to respond to God's word serves as an example for all who receive His revelation, signifying a heart eager to embrace divine truth and experience its reality. Their "finding" of Mary, Joseph, and the babe in the specific, humble location of a "manger" was the irrefutable confirmation of the angel's prophecy. This lowliest of beds was not a deviation from God's plan but the very sign, intentionally chosen to declare that God's Messiah would come in profound humility, antithetical to the grandeur expected by many. This scene encapsulates the paradoxical truth of the Incarnation: the Creator of the universe, the King of glory, made Himself utterly vulnerable, embodying a selfless love from the moment of His birth, making Himself accessible to all, starting with the marginalized shepherds. This fulfillment of the sign empowered the shepherds to become the first human evangelists, sharing what they had seen and heard (Lk 2:17).