Discovery BoxLuke 2:15-20 
Context2:15 When 1 the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem 2 and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord 3 has made known to us.” 2:16 So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. 4 2:17 When 5 they saw him, 6 they related what they had been told 7 about this child, 2:18 and all who heard it were astonished 8 at what the shepherds said. 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean. 9 2:20 So 10 the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising 11 God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told. 12
1 tn Grk “And it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
2 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
3 sn Note how although angels delivered the message, it was the Lord whose message is made known, coming through them.
4 tn Or “a feeding trough.”
5 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
6 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
7 tn Grk “the word which had been spoken to them.”
8 tn Grk “marveled.” It is a hard word to translate with one term in this context. There is a mixture of amazement and pondering at work in considering the surprising events here. See Luke 1:21, 63; 2:33.
9 tn The term συμβάλλουσα (sumballousa) suggests more than remembering. She is trying to put things together here (Josephus, Ant. 2.5.3 [2.72]). The words “what they might mean” have been supplied in the translation to make this clear. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.
11 sn The mention of glorifying and praising God is the second note of praise in this section; see Luke 2:13-14.
12 tn Grk “just as [it] had been spoken to them.” This has been simplified in the English translation by making the prepositional phrase (“to them”) the subject of the passive verb.
sn The closing remark just as they had been told notes a major theme of Luke 1-2 as he sought to reassure Theophilus: God does what he says he will do.
