Limitless Word
a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”
Luke 2:32 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
  • BSB a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
  • NKJV A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
  • NASB A light for revelation for the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
  • NLT He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

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.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 18

  • Isa 60:1–3“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and Yahweh’s glory has risen on you.
  • Isa 49:6Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”
  • Acts 26:23how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”
  • Acts 13:47–48For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’”
  • Isa 42:6–7“I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations;
  • Isa 9:2The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in the land of the shadow of death, on them the light has shined.
  • Rev 21:23The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
  • Isa 60:19The sun will be no more your light by day; nor will the brightness of the moon give light to you, but Yahweh will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
  • Acts 28:28“Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations, and they will listen.”
  • Matt 4:16the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned.”
  • Isa 4:2In that day, Yahweh’s branch will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the beauty and glory of the survivors of Israel.
  • Rom 15:8–9Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,
  • Isa 45:25All the offspring of Israel will be justified in Yahweh, and will rejoice!
  • Zech 2:5For I,’ says Yahweh, ‘will be to her a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory in the middle of her.
  • Ps 85:9Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
  • Jer 2:11Has a nation changed its gods, which really are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.
  • Luke 2:10The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
  • 1 Cor 1:31that, according as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (8)

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 2:32YouTube · 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 2:32 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.