Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:
Parallel translations
- WEB then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
- KJV Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
- NKJV he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
- NASB then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
- NLT Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, 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
Simeon takes the child in his arms and blesses God. It matters because beholding Christ rightly leads to praise.
Overview
Recognizing the promised Messiah, Simeon receives Jesus into his arms and praises God. His response is immediate worship and gratitude. Holding the infant Savior, the aged believer breaks into the song that follows, a testimony of fulfilled hope.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Luke 2:20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.
- Mark 9:36Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them,
- Luke 2:13–14And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
- Luke 1:64Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
- Luke 1:46Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
- Ps 105:1–3Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.
- Ps 135:19–20O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD;
- Mark 10:16And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.
- Ps 32:11Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
- Luke 1:68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
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 2:28 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.