And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
Parallel translations
- WEB Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
- KJV And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
- NKJV And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
- NASB And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying,
- NLT Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
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 great multitude of the heavenly host appears, praising God. It matters because heaven itself erupts in worship at the Savior's birth.
Overview
Suddenly the lone angel is joined by an army of heavenly beings praising God. The incarnation is an event of cosmic significance that moves all heaven to worship. The birth of Christ draws together the angelic and earthly realms in adoration of God's saving work.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Rev 5:11Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels and living creatures and elders encircling the throne, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.
- Ps 103:20–21Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.
- Ps 148:2Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His heavenly hosts.
- 1 Kgs 22:19Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.
- Luke 15:10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
- Dan 7:10A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.
- Heb 1:14Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
- Job 38:7while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
- Isa 6:2–3Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
- Gen 28:12And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder.
- Eph 3:10His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
- Ps 68:17The chariots of God are tens of thousands—thousands of thousands are they; the Lord is in His sanctuary as He was at Sinai.
- Gen 32:1–2Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
- Ezek 3:12Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me: ‘Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His dwelling place!’
- 1 Pet 1:12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 2:13 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.