Luke 2 6

Luke 2:6 kjv

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

Luke 2:6 nkjv

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

Luke 2:6 niv

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

Luke 2:6 esv

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

Luke 2:6 nlt

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.

Luke 2 verses

Luke 2 6 Meaning

Luke 2:6 describes the specific timing and location for the birth of Jesus Christ, stating that while Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, the appointed days for Mary to give birth were completed. This verse highlights the providential convergence of their presence in Bethlehem—the prophesied birthplace of the Messiah—with the arrival of Mary's full term. It signifies the divinely orchestrated fulfillment of prophecy and God's precise timing in the incarnation.

Luke 2 6 Context

Luke 2:6 is part of the extensive birth narrative of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Luke. Immediately preceding this verse, Luke describes the decree from Caesar Augustus for a census across the Roman world, which required everyone to travel to their ancestral towns (Lk 2:1-3). This decree compelled Joseph, being from the house and lineage of David, to go from Nazareth to Bethlehem in Judea, along with his espoused wife, Mary, who was by then heavily pregnant (Lk 2:4-5). The journey itself, covering approximately 90 miles (145 km) over hilly terrain, would have been arduous for a woman in her final stages of pregnancy. Therefore, verse 6 establishes that despite these demanding circumstances, the birth did not occur during their travel or shortly after arrival, but after they had been settled in Bethlehem for some time, ensuring that the Messiah's birth occurred in the divinely appointed place at the exact appointed time. This emphasizes God's sovereign control over seemingly unrelated human political decrees to fulfill His prophetic word.

Luke 2 6 Word analysis

• And so it was (καὶ ἐγένετο - kai egeneto):
  • Word: kai (and) and egeneto (it happened/came to pass).
  • Significance: This is a very common Greek transitional phrase in the Septuagint and New Testament (especially Luke and Acts). It introduces a new, often significant, event and frequently implies divine causality or progression. It's not merely a neutral statement of fact but suggests divine orchestration—events unfolding as God intended.
• that, while they were there (ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ - en tō einai autous ekei):
  • Word: en (in), tō (the, art. for infinitive), einai (to be, infinitive), autous (them), ekei (there).
  • Significance: Specifies the location – Bethlehem, as established in Luke 2:4-5. The phrase "while they were there" indicates a period of waiting, a residency of some duration, not an immediate occurrence upon arrival. This brief period of residence allowed God's specific timing to converge with the prophetic place. The census compelled them to be there, providentially.
• the days were accomplished (ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι - eplēsthēsan hai hēmerai):
  • Word: eplēsthēsan (were fulfilled/completed/filled up - aorist passive of pleroo), hai (the), hēmerai (days).
  • Significance: "Accomplished" is a stronger word than "passed." Pleroo means "to make full," "to complete," or "to fulfill." It implies a precise completion of a predetermined time, emphasizing divine predestination rather than merely the natural progression of pregnancy. This ties into the concept of "the fullness of time" (Gal 4:4), indicating God's pre-ordained schedule for Christ's birth.
• that she should be delivered (τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτήν - tou tekein autēn):
  • Word: tou (for, to), tekein (to bear/give birth, aorist infinitive of tikto), autēn (her).
  • Significance: This states the clear purpose for the days being accomplished – Mary was to give birth. It's a straightforward, humble description of an imminent birth, yet it refers to the birth of the Messiah. It highlights the natural progression of human pregnancy under the overarching divine plan.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished...": This whole phrase underscores God's meticulous oversight. The journey to Bethlehem (driven by a pagan emperor's decree) and the time spent there were not coincidental, but purposeful. It was precisely when they were in that specific place that God's pre-ordained time ("the days were accomplished") arrived. This demonstrates how human circumstances inadvertently serve God's greater plan.

Luke 2 6 Bonus section

• The detail of "while they were there" subtly counters any potential misunderstanding that Jesus was born "on the road." They had reached Bethlehem and were established, however temporarily, before the birth. This strengthens the connection to Bethlehem as His birthplace, not merely a transient location.
• Luke, as a careful historian (Lk 1:3-4), provides geographical and chronological anchor points (Caesar Augustus, Quirinius, Bethlehem). This verse continues that historical groundedness while revealing its divine underpinning: God’s eternal plan intersecting with verifiable human history.
• The phrase "the days were accomplished" could also carry a resonance of patient waiting. Mary, like all who waited for the Messiah, had been patiently anticipating. Here, that personal anticipation converges with cosmic fulfillment.

Luke 2 6 Commentary

Luke 2:6 is a succinct yet profoundly significant verse in the narrative of Jesus' birth. It reveals God's perfect precision and sovereignty, orchestrating human events and natural processes to fulfill His eternal purpose. The global census mandated by Caesar Augustus (Lk 2:1-3), a decree seemingly unrelated to a Jewish prophecy, providentially compelled Joseph and a heavily pregnant Mary to travel to Bethlehem, the ancestral home of David, as prophesied by Micah (Mic 5:2). The verse emphasizes that it was "while they were there"—not en route, but having settled—that "the days were accomplished" for Mary to give birth. This precise timing, captured by the Greek word eplēsthēsan (were fulfilled), indicates that the birth of the Savior was no accident, but the culmination of divine providence set within "the fullness of time" (Gal 4:4). The quiet, humble arrival in a small Judean town, determined by a political census and a pregnancy's natural term, paradoxically highlights the magnificent orchestration of God to bring His Son into the world according to His perfect will. It speaks to the humility of Christ's incarnation and God's ability to use the mundane and the mighty for His sacred ends.