And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
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.
- BSB And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
- 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 shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.
- Rev 8:3Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.
- Heb 9:24For Christ hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
- Heb 4:14Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.
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.