Bible Strands
Luke 2:5
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Luke narrates Joseph’s arrival in Bethlehem following the census decree, positioned between his departure from Nazareth and Mary’s subsequent labor.
The words — ἀπογρῆψασθαι (apograpsasthai) means to register for a census, and ἐμνηστευμένῃ (emnēsteumenē) denotes Mary’s binding betrothal status to Joseph.
The thread — The betrothal framework is noted in Matthew 1:18, its legal gravity aligns with Deuteronomy 22:22, and the Davidic lineage requirement is established in Luke 2:4.
Why it lands — It demands recognition that the birth occurred under a civic registration and a legally binding covenant, anchoring the event in documented social and historical structures.
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
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Cross-references
- Matthew 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
- Deuteronomy 22:22 If a man is found lying with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.