There was also a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was well along in years. She had been married for seven years,
Parallel translations
- WEB There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,
- KJV And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
- NKJV Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;
- NASB And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage,
- NLT Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years.
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
Anna, an aged prophetess of the tribe of Asher, is introduced. It matters because another faithful witness recognizes the Messiah.
Overview
Luke presents Anna, a widowed prophetess of great age, as a second witness to the infant Christ. Her tribal lineage and long widowhood are noted. Alongside Simeon, she represents the devout in Israel whose lifelong faithfulness is rewarded by seeing the promised Redeemer.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ps 92:14In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain,
- Exod 15:20Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
- Gen 30:13Leah said, “How happy I am! For the women call me happy.” So she named him Asher.
- Judg 4:4Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
- Acts 21:9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
- Acts 2:18Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
- 2 Kgs 22:14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.
- 1 Cor 12:1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
- Job 5:26You will come to the grave in full vigor, like a sheaf of grain gathered in season.
- Rev 7:6from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
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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 2:36 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
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