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;
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,
- BSB 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,
- 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 92:14They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
- Exod 15:20And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
- Gen 30:13And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.
- Judg 4:4And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
- Acts 21:9And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
- Acts 2:18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
- 2 Kgs 22:14So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.
- 1 Cor 12:1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
- Job 5:26Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.
- Rev 7:6Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
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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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