Luke 2:26

New Century Version

Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Christ promised by the Lord.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The Holy Spirit told him that he would not die before he saw the Messiah from the Lord.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And an answer was geven him of the holy goost that he shulde not se deethe before he had sene the lordes Christ.

Hebrew Names Version
It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

International Standard Version
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not diesee death">[fn] until he had seen the Lord's Christ.[fn]Psalm 89:48; Hebrews 11:5;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Update Bible Version
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Amplified Bible
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

English Standard Version
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

World English Bible
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Weymouth's New Testament
To him it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Anointed One.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he hadde takun an answere of the Hooli Goost, that he schulde not se deeth, but he sawy first the Crist of the Lord.

English Revised Version
And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Berean Standard Bible
The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Contemporary English Version
and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord.

American Standard Version
And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Bible in Basic English
And he had knowledge, through the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death till he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Complete Jewish Bible
It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of Adonai .

Darby Translation
And it was divinely communicated to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he should see [the] Lord's Christ.

Etheridge Translation
And it was said to him from the Spirit of Holiness, that he should not see death, until he had seen the Meshicha of the Lord.

Murdock Translation
And it had been told him by the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death, until he should see the Messiah of the Lord.

King James Version (1611)
And it was reuealed vnto him by the holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seene the Lords Christ.

New Living Translation
and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

New Life Bible
The Holy Spirit made it known to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen God's Chosen One.

New Revised Standard
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And it was declared to him from God by the holy Ghost, that he shoulde not see death, before he had seene that Anointed of the Lord.

George Lamsa Translation
And it was said to him by the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death, until he sees the Anointed of the Lord.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and it had been intimated to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And a reuelation was geuen hym of the holy ghost, not to see death, before he had seene the Lordes Christe.

Good News Translation
and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's promised Messiah.

Christian Standard Bible®
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.

King James Version
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Lexham English Bible
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he would see the Lord's Christ.

Literal Translation
And it happened to him, having been divinely instructed by the Holy Spirit, he was not to see death before he would see the Christ of the Lord.

Young's Literal Translation
and it hath been divinely told him by the Holy Spirit -- not to see death before he may see the Christ of the Lord.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And an answere was geue him of the holy goost, that he shulde not se death, before he had sene ye LORDES Christ.

Mace New Testament (1729)
to him it was revealed by the holy spirit, that he should not die till he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.

New English Translation
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

New King James Version
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Simplified Cowboy Version
The Holy Spirit had told the old cowboy that he wouldn't die before he had seen God's Top Hand.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Legacy Standard Bible
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Contextual Overview

²⁵ In Jerusalem lived a man named Simeon who was a good man and godly. He was waiting for the time when God would take away Israel's sorrow, and the Holy Spirit was in him. ²⁶ Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Christ promised by the Lord. ²⁷ The Spirit led Simeon to the Temple. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple to do what the law said they must do, ²⁸ Simeon took the baby in his arms and thanked God: ²⁹ "Now, Lord, you can let me, your servant, die in peace as you said. ³⁰ With my own eyes I have seen your salvation, ³¹ which you prepared before all people. ³² It is a light for the non-Jewish people to see and an honor for your people, the Israelites." ³³ Jesus' father and mother were amazed at what Simeon had said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, "God has chosen this child to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God that many people will not accept

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

it: Psalms 25:14, Amos 3:7

see death: הוים פןם טבםבפןם, to see death, is a Hebraism for to die, exactly corresponding to יראה מות. Psalms 89:49, Luke 9:27, Psalms 89:48, John 8:51, Hebrews 11:5

the Lord's: Psalms 2:2, Psalms 2:6, Isaiah 61:1, Daniel 9:24-26, John 1:41, John 4:29, John 20:31, Acts 2:36, Acts 9:20, Acts 10:38, Acts 17:3, Hebrews 1:8, Hebrews 1:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 49:1 - Gather Joshua 19:24 - General Job 11:17 - age Song of Solomon 8:1 - that thou Matthew 2:11 - they saw Matthew 16:28 - taste Matthew 22:43 - General Matthew 23:39 - Ye shall not Mark 9:1 - taste Luke 2:11 - which Luke 2:29 - according Acts 13:35 - to see 1 Corinthians 2:10 - God Ephesians 3:5 - by 1 Peter 1:12 - it

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost,.... Not in a dream, as the wise men were warned, nor by an angel, as Joseph, nor by a voice from heaven, which the Jews call "Bath Kol", but by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, enlightening his understanding, and impressing on his mind:

that he should not see death; an Hebraism, see it in Psalms 89:48 the same with the phrase, "to taste death", elsewhere used; and the sense is, as the Ethiopic version renders it, "that he should not die"; or as the Persic version, "that his death should not be"; as yet: he should live some time longer; nor should that messenger be sent to remove him, though a man in years, out of time into eternity,

before he had seen the Lord's Christ: with his bodily eyes: for he had seen him with an eye of faith already, and in the promise, as Abraham had; and in the types and sacrifices of the law, as the rest of believers under the Old Testament. The Messiah is called the Lord's Christ, referring to Psalms 2:2 because he was anointed by Jehovah, the Father, and with Jehovah, the Spirit; with the Holy Ghost, the oil of gladness, to be prophet, priest, and king, in the Lord's house. So the Messiah is by the Targumist called, the Messiah of Jehovah, or Jehovah's Messiah; that is as here, the Lord's Christ: thus in the Targum on Isaiah 4:2 it is said.

"in that time, משיחא דיי, "Jehovah's Messiah", shall be for joy and for glory.''

And on Isaiah 28:5 the paraphrase is,

"at that time, משיחא דיי, "the Messiah of the Lord" of hosts shall be for a crown of joy, and for a diadem of praise to the rest of his people.''

Compare these paraphrases with what is said of Christ, in Luke 2:32. "The glory of thy people Israel"; Simeon's language exactly agrees with the Targumist. The Persic version adds, "and with this hope he passed his time, or age, and became very old and decrepit."

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And it was revealed unto him - In what way this was done we are not informed. Sometimes a revelation was made by a dream, at others by a voice, and at others by silent suggestion. All we know of this is that it was by the Holy Spirit.

Not see death - Should not die. To “see” death and to “taste” of death, was a common way among the Hebrews of expressing death itself. Compare Psalms 89:48.

The Lord’s Christ - Rather “the Lord’s Anointed.” The word “Christ” means “anointed,” and it would have been better to use that word here. To an aged man who had been long waiting for the Messiah, how grateful must have been this revelation - this solemn assurance that the Messiah was near! But this revelation is now given to every man, that he need not taste of death until, by the eye of faith, he may see the Christ of God. He is offered freely. He has come. He waits to manifest himself to the world, and he is not willing that any should die forever. To us also it will be as great a privilege in our dying hours to have seen Christ by faith as it was to Simeon. It will be the only thing that can support us then - the only thing that will enable us to depart in peace.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 26. It was revealed unto him — He was divinely informed, κεχρηματισμενον - he had an express communication from God concerning the subject. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. The soul of a righteous and devout man is a proper habitation for the Holy Spirit.

He should not see death — They that seek shall find: it is impossible that a man who is earnestly seeking the salvation of God, should be permitted to die without finding it.

The Lord's Christ. — Rather, the Lord's anointed. That prophet, priest, and king, who was typified by so many anointed persons under the old covenant; and who was appointed to come in the fulness of time, to accomplish all that was written in the law, in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning him. Luke 2:11.