and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
Parallel translations
- WEB and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day.
- KJV And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
- BSB and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
- NASB and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She did not leave the temple grounds, serving night and day with fasts and prayers.
- NLT Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.
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, a widow of many years, worshiped continually in the temple with fasting and prayer. It matters because it portrays a life of devoted, persevering faith.
Overview
Luke describes Anna's decades of widowhood spent in constant temple worship, fasting, and prayer night and day. Her devotion exemplifies steadfast godliness while awaiting God's salvation. Such persevering faith is honored as she is brought to behold the Messiah she long sought.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- 1 Tim 5:5Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.
- Ps 23:6Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever.
- Acts 14:23When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.
- Acts 13:3Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
- Ps 27:4One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in Yahweh’s house all the days of my life, to see Yahweh’s beauty, and to inquire in his temple.
- Acts 26:7which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!
- Rev 7:15Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.
- Rev 3:12He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.
- Ps 84:4Blessed are those who dwell in your house. They are always praising you. Selah.
- Ps 22:2My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
- Ps 84:10For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
- Ps 135:1–2Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh’s name! Praise him, you servants of Yahweh,
- Luke 5:33They said to him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?”
- Exod 38:8He made the basin of brass, and its base of brass, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
- Ps 92:13They are planted in Yahweh’s house. They will flourish in our God’s courts.
- 1 Sam 2:2There is no one as holy as Yahweh, For there is no one besides you, nor is there any rock like our God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 2:37 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.