And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
Parallel translations
- WEB The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
- KJV And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
- NKJV And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
- NASB And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.
- NLT While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A large crowd was praying outside while the incense was offered. The whole community was joined in worship at that hour.
Overview
The hour of incense was a time of corporate prayer, the people gathered outside as the priest ministered within. This prayerful setting frames the angelic visit that follows. It pictures the longing of God's people, soon to be answered in the coming of John and ultimately of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Lev 16:17No one may be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he leaves, after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel.
- Rev 8:3Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.
- Heb 9:24For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.
- Heb 4:14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 1:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.