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THE MESSAGE
Luke 2:1
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In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered.
And it came to passe in those dayes, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.
At that time, Augustus Caesar sent an order that all people in the countries under Roman rule must list their names in a register.
Now in those days a decree went out from [the emperor] Caesar Augustus, that all the inhabited world (the Roman Empire) should be registered [in a census].
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.
Now it happened that in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus for a census to be taken of all the inhabited earth.
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books.
Around this time, Emperor Augustus issued an order for a census to be taken throughout the Empire.
But it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census should be made of all the habitable world.
It was about that same time that Augustus Caesar sent out an order to all people in the countries that were under Roman rule. The order said that everyone's name must be put on a list.
And it came to passe in those daies, yt there came a decree from Augustus Cesar, that all the world should be taxed.
AND it happened in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, to take a census of all the people in his empire.
At that time Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire.
Now it happened that in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire.
And it happened in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus for all the habitable world to be registered.
Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled.
Now it came about in those days that an order went out from Caesar Augustus that there was to be a numbering of all the world.
Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered.
NOW it was in those days that there went forth a mandate from Augustus Caesar to enrol the people of his dominion.
And in those days it occurred, that a decree went forth from Augustus Caesar, that all the people of his dominion should be enrolled.
And it came to passe in those dayes, yt there went out a commaundement fro Augustus Cesar, that all the world should be taxed.
Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled.
Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
And in those days there went out a decree from Augustus Cesar, that all the world should be inrolled.
Just at this time an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for the registration of the whole Empire.
And it was don in tho daies, a maundement wente out fro the emperour August, that al the world schulde be discryued.
Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled.
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire for taxes.
Matthew 1:18-25">[xr] And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.
In those days Caesar Augustus sent out word that the name of every person in the Roman nation must be written in the books of the nation.
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.
Now it came to pass, in those days, that there went forth a decree from Caesar Augustus, for all the inhabited earth to be enrolled:
And it came to pass that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
And it chaunced in thoose dayes: yt ther went oute a comaundment from Auguste the Emperour that all the woorlde shuld be taxed.
And it came to pass in those days, there went forth a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world be enrolled --
It fortuned at the same tyme, that there wete out a comaundement fro Augustus the Emperoure, that the whole worlde shulde be taxed.
At that time, Cesar Augustus published an edict, to make a register of the Roman empire.
Now it was in this time that Augustus Caesar sent out an order that everyone's name would be on a list.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Caesar: Luke 3:1, Acts 11:28, Acts 25:11, Acts 25:21, Philippians 4:22
all: Matthew 24:14, Mark 14:9, Mark 16:15, Romans 1:8
taxed: or, enrolled
Reciprocal: Genesis 41:45 - Zaphnathpaaneah Esther 10:1 - laid a tribute Daniel 7:23 - the fourth Zechariah 14:2 - gather Matthew 22:17 - Caesar Luke 15:10 - there Luke 20:24 - Caesar's Acts 5:37 - Judas Revelation 3:10 - all Revelation 13:3 - all Revelation 16:14 - the whole Revelation 17:18 - the woman
Cross-References
First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.
At the time God made Earth and Heaven, before any grasses or shrubs had sprouted from the ground— God hadn't yet sent rain on Earth, nor was there anyone around to work the ground (the whole Earth was watered by underground springs)— God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!
Then God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. He put the Man he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil.
He wrote on, "Blessed be the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, and who gave King David a son so wise, so knowledgeable and shrewd, to build a temple for God and a palace for himself. I've sent you Huram-Abi—he's already on his way—he knows the construction business inside and out. His mother is from Dan and his father from Tyre. He knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, in purple, violet, linen, and crimson textiles; he is also an expert engraver and competent to work out designs with your artists and architects, and those of my master David, your father.
Then on the twenty-fourth day of this month, the People of Israel gathered for a fast, wearing burlap and faces smudged with dirt as signs of repentance. The Israelites broke off all relations with foreigners, stood up, and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their parents. While they stood there in their places, they read from the Book of The Revelation of God , their God, for a quarter of the day. For another quarter of the day they confessed and worshiped their God . A group of Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the platform and cried out to God , their God, in a loud voice. The Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "On your feet! Bless God , your God, for ever and ever!" Blessed be your glorious name, exalted above all blessing and praise! You're the one, God , you alone; You made the heavens, the heavens of heavens, and all angels; The earth and everything on it, the seas and everything in them; You keep them all alive; heaven's angels worship you!
The skies were made by God 's command; he breathed the word and the stars popped out. He scooped Sea into his jug, put Ocean in his keg.
God 's Message, the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies, laid out the earth and all that grows from it, Who breathes life into earth's people, makes them alive with his own life: "I am God . I have called you to live right and well. I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe. I have set you among my people to bind them to me, and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations, To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light: opening blind eyes, releasing prisoners from dungeons, emptying the dark prisons. I am God . That's my name. I don't franchise my glory, don't endorse the no-god idols. Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled. I'm announcing the new salvation work. Before it bursts on the scene, I'm telling you all about it."
God , Creator of the heavens— he is, remember, G od. Maker of earth— he put it on its foundations, built it from scratch. He didn't go to all that trouble to just leave it empty, nothing in it. He made it to be lived in. This God says: "I am God , the one and only. I don't just talk to myself or mumble under my breath. I never told Jacob, ‘Seek me in emptiness, in dark nothingness.' I am God . I work out in the open, saying what's right, setting things right. So gather around, come on in, all you refugees and castoffs. They don't seem to know much, do they— those who carry around their no-god blocks of wood, praying for help to a dead stick? So tell me what you think. Look at the evidence. Put your heads together. Make your case. Who told you, and a long time ago, what's going on here? Who made sense of things for you? Wasn't I the one? God ? It had to be me. I'm the only God there is— The only God who does things right and knows how to help. So turn to me and be helped—saved!— everyone, whoever and wherever you are. I am God , the only God there is, the one and only. I promise in my own name: Every word out of my mouth does what it says. I never take back what I say. Everyone is going to end up kneeling before me. Everyone is going to end up saying of me, ‘Yes! Salvation and strength are in God !'" All who have raged against him will be brought before him, disgraced by their unbelief. And all who are connected with Israel will have a robust, praising, good life in God !
"Pay close attention now: I'm creating new heavens and a new earth. All the earlier troubles, chaos, and pain are things of the past, to be forgotten. Look ahead with joy. Anticipate what I'm creating: I'll create Jerusalem as sheer joy, create my people as pure delight. I'll take joy in Jerusalem, take delight in my people: No more sounds of weeping in the city, no cries of anguish; No more babies dying in the cradle, or old people who don't enjoy a full lifetime; One-hundredth birthdays will be considered normal— anything less will seem like a cheat. They'll build houses and move in. They'll plant fields and eat what they grow. No more building a house that some outsider takes over, No more planting fields that some enemy confiscates, For my people will be as long-lived as trees, my chosen ones will have satisfaction in their work. They won't work and have nothing come of it, they won't have children snatched out from under them. For they themselves are plantings blessed by God , with their children and grandchildren likewise God -blessed. Before they call out, I'll answer. Before they've finished speaking, I'll have heard. Wolf and lamb will graze the same meadow, lion and ox eat straw from the same trough, but snakes—they'll get a diet of dirt! Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill anywhere on my Holy Mountain," says God .
But the Portion-of-Jacob is the real thing. He put the whole universe together And pays special attention to Israel. His name? God -of-the-Angel-Armies!
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And it came to pass in those days,.... When John the Baptist was born, and Christ was conceived, and his mother pregnant with him, and the time of his birth drew on. The Ethiopic version reads, "in that day"; as if it was the same day in which John was circumcised, and Zacharias delivered the above song of praise: that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus; second emperor of Rome; the name Caesar was common to all the emperors, as Pharaoh to the Egyptians, and afterwards Ptolemy. His name Augustus, was not his original surname, but Thurinus; and was given him, after he became Caesar, to express his grandeur, majesty, and reverence; and that by the advice of Munatius Plancus, when others would have had him called Romulus, as if he was the founder of the city of Rome z: by him a decree was made and published,
that all the world should be taxed; or "registered", or "enrolled"; for this was not levying a tax, or imposing tribute upon them, but a taking an account of the names of persons, and of their estates; and which might be, in order to lay a tax upon them, as afterwards was: for the payment of a tax, there was no need of the appearance of women and children; and so the Arabic version renders it, "that the names the whole habitable world might be described, or written down": such an enrolment had been determined on by Augustus, when at Tarracon in Spain, twenty seven years before; but he was diverted from it by some disturbances in the empire, so that it was deferred to this time, in which there was a remarkable interposition of divine providence; for had this enrolment been made then, in all likelihood it had not been done now, and Joseph and Mary would not have had occasion to have come to Bethlehem: but so it must be; and thus were things ordered by an infinite, and all wise providence to effect it: nor did this enrolment reach to all the parts of the known world, but only to the Roman empire; which, because it was so very large as it was, and in the boasting language of the Romans was so called, as, Ptolemy Evergetes a calls his kingdom, κοσμος, "the world". Though some think only the land of Judea is meant, which is called the earth, in Luke 21:26 and "all the world", in Acts 11:28 but the other sense seems more agreeable; and so the Syriac version renders it, "that all the people of his empire might be enrolled": and the Persic version, "that they should enrol all the subjects of his kingdom"; and is justified by the use of the phrase for the Roman empire, in several passages of Scripture, Romans 1:8. Now at the time of this enrolment, and under this august emperor, and when the whole world was in a profound peace, was the Messiah born, the King of kings, and the only potentate; the Shiloh, the peaceable and prosperous, the Prince of Peace, and Lord of life and glory; and that, in order to redeem men from that worse subjection and bondage they were in to sin, Satan, the law, and death, than they were to the Roman emperor. The Jews say b, the son of David shall not come, until the kingdom (of Edom, or Rome, as some copies read, in others it is erased) shall be extended over all Israel, nine months, according to Micah 5:3. The gloss on it is, that is, "all the world", in which the Israelites are scattered.
z Suetonius in Vita Octav August. sect. 7. a Apud Fabricii Biblioth Gr. Tom. 2. p. 608. b T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
In those days - About the time of the birth of John and of Christ.
A decree - A law commanding a thing to be done.
Caesar Augustus - This was the Roman emperor. His first name was Octavianus. He was the nephew of Julius Caesar, and obtained the empire after his death. He took the name “Augustus - i. e., august,” or honorable - as a compliment to his own greatness; and from him the month “August,” which was before called “Sextilis,” received its name.
That all the world - There has been much difficulty respecting this passage, from the fact that no such taxing of “all the world” is mentioned by ancient writers. It should have been rendered “the whole land” - that is, the whole land of Palestine. The “whole land” is mentioned to show that it was not “Judea” only, but that it included also “Galilee,” the place where Joseph and Mary dwelt. That the passage refers only to the land of Palestine, and not to the whole world, or to all the Roman empire, is clear from the following considerations:
- The fact that no such taxing is mentioned as pertaining to any other country.
- The account of Luke demands only that it should be understood of Palestine, or the country where the Saviour was born.
- The words “world” and “whole world” are not unfrequently used in this limited sense as confined to a single country.
See Matthew 4:8, where Satan is said to have shown to Christ all the kingdoms of “the world,” that is, of the land of Judea. See also Joshua 2:3; Luke 4:25 (Greek); Luke 21:26; Acts 11:28.
Should be taxed - Our word “tax” means to levy and raise money for the use of the government. This is not the meaning of the original word here. It means rather to “enroll,” or take a “list” of the citizens, with their employments, the amount of their property, etc., equivalent to what was meant by census. Judea was at that time tributary to Rome. It paid taxes to the Roman emperor; and, though Herod was “king,” yet he held his appointment under the Roman emperor, and was subject in most matters to him. Farther, as this “enrollment” was merely to ascertain the numbers and property of the Jews, it is probable that they were very willing to be enrolled in this manner; and hence we hear that they went willingly, without tumult - contrary to the common way when they were “to be taxed.”
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
CHAPTER II.
The decree of Augustus to enrol all the Roman empire, 1, 2.
Joseph and Mary go to their own city to be enrolled, 3-5.
Christ is born, 6, 7.
His birth is announced to the shepherds, 8-14.
They go to Bethlehem, and find Joseph, Mary, and Christ, 15-20.
Christ is circumcised, 21.
His parents go to present him in the temple, 22-24.
Simeon receives him: his song, 25-35.
Anna the prophetess, 36-38.
The holy family return to Nazareth, 39, 40.
They go to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover, and leave
Jesus behind in Jerusalem, 41-44.
They return seeking him, and find him in the midst of the
doctors, 45-47.
His mother chides him, 48.
His defence of his conduct, 49, 50.
They all return to Nazareth, 51, 52.
NOTES ON CHAP. II.
Verse Luke 2:1. Caesar Augustus — This was Caius Caesar Octavianus Augustus, who was proclaimed emperor of Rome in the 29th year before our Lord, and died A.D. 14.
That all the world should be taxed. — πασαν την οικουμενην, the whole of that empire. It is agreed, on all hands, that this cannot mean the whole world, as in the common translation; for this very sufficient reason, that the Romans had not the dominion of the whole earth, and therefore could have no right to raise levies or taxes in those places to which their dominion did not extend. οικουμενη signifies properly the inhabited part of the earth, from οικεω, to dwell, or inhabit. Polybius makes use of the very words in this text to point out the extent of the Roman government, lib. vi. c. 48; and Plutarch uses the word in exactly the same sense, Pomp. p. 635. See the passages in Wetstein. Therefore the whole that could be meant here, can be no more than that a general CENSUS of the inhabitants and their effects had been made in the reign of Augustus, through all the Roman dominions.
But as there is no general census mentioned in any historian as having taken place at this time, the meaning of οικουμενη must be farther restrained, and applied solely to the land of Judea. This signification it certainly has in this same evangelist, Luke 21:26. Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth, τη οικουμενη this land. The whole discourse relates to the calamities that were coming, not upon the whole world, nor the whole of the Roman empire, but on the land of Judea, see Luke 21:21. Then let them that are in Judea flee to the mountains. Out of Judea, therefore, there would be safety; and only those who should be with child, or giving suck, in those days, are considered as peculiarly unhappy, because they could not flee away from that land on which the scourge was to fall: for the wrath, or punishment, shall be, says our Lord, εν τω λαω τουτω, ON THIS VERY PEOPLE, viz. the Jews, Luke 21:23. It appears that St. Luke used this word in this sense in conformity to the Septuagint, who have applied it in precisely the same way, Isaiah 13:11; Isaiah 14:26; Isaiah 24:1. And from this we may learn, that the word οικουμενη had been long used as a term by which the land of Judea was commonly expressed. Ἡ γη, which signifies the earth, or world in general, is frequently restrained to this sense, being often used by the evangelists and others for all the country of Judea. See Luke 4:25; Joshua 2:3.
It is probable that the reason why this enrolment, or census, is said to have been throughout the whole Jewish nation, was to distinguish it from that partial one, made ten years after, mentioned Acts 5:37, which does not appear to have extended beyond the estates of Archelaus, and which gave birth to the insurrection excited by Judas of Galilee. See Josephus, Ant. book xx. c. 3.
