then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Parallel translations
- KJV Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
- BSB Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:
- 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 the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
- Mark 9:36He took a little child, and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,
- Luke 2:13–14Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
- Luke 1:64His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
- Luke 1:46Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
- Ps 105:1–3Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name! Make his doings known among the peoples.
- Ps 135:19–20House of Israel, praise Yahweh! House of Aaron, praise Yahweh!
- Mark 10:16He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
- Ps 32:11Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!
- Luke 1:68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people;
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 2:28 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.