The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
Parallel translations
- KJV And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
- BSB And the Child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.
- NKJV And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
- NASB Now the Child continued to grow and to become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.
- NLT There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
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
Jesus grew, became strong, was filled with wisdom, and God's grace was upon Him. It matters because it affirms the real human development of the Son of God.
Overview
Luke summarizes Jesus' childhood growth in body, strength, and wisdom, with God's favor resting on Him. This affirms His genuine humanity, developing as a true child, while never ceasing to be the Son of God. The incarnate Lord grew up under the gracious blessing of His Father.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Luke 2:52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
- Luke 1:80The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
- Isa 11:1–5A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit.
- John 1:14The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
- 1 Sam 2:26The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh, and also with men.
- 1 Sam 3:19Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground.
- Isa 53:1–2Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?
- Luke 2:47All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
- Eph 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.
- Ps 22:9But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.
- 1 Sam 2:18But Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a child, clothed with a linen ephod.
- Judg 13:24The woman bore a son, and named him Samson. The child grew, and Yahweh blessed him.
- 2 Tim 2:1You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
- Ps 45:2You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever.
- Col 2:2–3that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
- Acts 4:33With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all.
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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 2:40 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.