Limitless Word
When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:21 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
  • BSB When the eight days until His circumcision had passed, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived.
  • NKJV And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
  • NASB And when eight days were completed so that it was time for His circumcision, He was also named Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
  • NLT Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

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

On the eighth day the child was circumcised and named Jesus, as the angel had directed. It matters because Jesus is placed under the law and bears the name meaning salvation.

Overview

Jesus is circumcised on the eighth day per the Mosaic law and given the name the angel commanded before His conception. The name 'Jesus' means 'the Lord saves,' declaring His mission. Born under the law, He begins fulfilling all righteousness on behalf of those He came to redeem.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 9

  • Gen 17:12He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.
  • Luke 1:31Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and give birth to a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’
  • Lev 12:3In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
  • Gal 4:4–5But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
  • Luke 1:59On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
  • Matt 3:15But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
  • Matt 1:21She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
  • Phil 2:8And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.
  • Matt 1:25and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 2:21YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 2:21 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.