Bible Strands
Luke 2:23
(as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”),
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator records Mary and Joseph presenting Jesus in Jerusalem immediately after completing the Mosaic purification period. The words — γέγραπται (gegraptai) = it has been written, and πᾶν ἄρσεν (pan arsen) = every male. The thread — This command echoes Exodus 13:2, Exodus 22:29, and Numbers 3:13, where God claims all firstborn males for Himself. Why it lands — It requires acknowledging Jesus’ full submission to the Torah’s requirements for consecration.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
Cross-references
- Exodus 13:2 “Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.”
- Exodus 22:29 You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.
- Numbers 3:13 for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.”
- Exodus 34:19 The first offspring of every womb belongs to Me, including all the firstborn males among your livestock, whether cattle or sheep.
- Numbers 18:15 The firstborn of every womb, whether man or beast, that is offered to the LORD belongs to you. But you must surely redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.
- Numbers 8:16 For the Levites have been wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.
- Exodus 13:12 you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD.