Luke 2:46
New International Version
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

New Living Translation
Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

English Standard Version
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

Berean Standard Bible
Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

Berean Literal Bible
And it came to pass after three days, they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them.

King James Bible
And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

New King James Version
Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

New American Standard Bible
Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

NASB 1995
Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

NASB 1977
And it came about that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.

Legacy Standard Bible
And it happened that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

Amplified Bible
Three days later they found Him in the [court of the] temple, sitting among the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

Christian Standard Bible
After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

American Standard Version
And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions:

Contemporary English Version
Three days later they found Jesus sitting in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Three days later, they found him in the temple courtyard. He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions.

Good News Translation
On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

International Standard Version
Three days later, they found him in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and posing questions to them.

Majority Standard Bible
Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

NET Bible
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

New Heart English Bible
It happened after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

Weymouth New Testament
On the third day they found Him in the Temple sitting among the Rabbis, both listening to them and asking them questions,

World English Bible
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it came to pass, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them,

Berean Literal Bible
And it came to pass after three days, they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them.

Young's Literal Translation
And it came to pass, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them,

Smith's Literal Translation
And it was after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of teachers, and hearing them, and inquiring of them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And it happened that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and questioning them.

New American Bible
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions,

New Revised Standard Version
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
After three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
After three days, they found him in The Temple as he sat in the midst of the Teachers and he heard from them and he was inquiring of them.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And it came to pass, after three days, that they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

Godbey New Testament
And it came to pass, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and asking them questions.

Haweis New Testament
And it came to pass after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions.

Mace New Testament
three days after they found him in the temple, sitting near the doctors, attending to them and asking them questions.

Weymouth New Testament
On the third day they found Him in the Temple sitting among the Rabbis, both listening to them and asking them questions,

Worrell New Testament
And it came to pass that, after three days, they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

Worsley New Testament
and after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, attending to them and asking them questions.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Boy Jesus at the Temple
45When they could not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. 46Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.…

Cross References
Matthew 7:28-29
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, / because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

John 7:14-15
About halfway through the feast, Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach. / The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”

Mark 1:22
The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

Matthew 13:54
Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked.

John 8:2
Early in the morning He went back into the temple courts. All the people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them.

John 18:20
“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.

Matthew 22:46
No one was able to answer a word, and from that day on no one dared to question Him any further.

Mark 12:34
When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further.

John 12:49-50
I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. / And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”

Acts 5:34-39
But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a short time. / “Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men. / Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. ...

Acts 22:3
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

1 Corinthians 1:24
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Colossians 2:3
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Isaiah 11:1-2
Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. / The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 50:4
The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of discipleship, to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.


Treasury of Scripture

And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

after.

Luke 2:44,45
But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance…

1 Kings 12:5,12
And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed…

Matthew 12:40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

the doctors.

Luke 5:17
And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

Acts 5:34
Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

both.

Isaiah 49:1,2
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name…

Isaiah 50:4
The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

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Luke 2
1. Augustus taxes all the Roman empire.
6. The nativity of Jesus.
8. An angel relates it to the shepherds, and many sing praises to God for it.
15. The shepherds glorify God.
21. Jesus is circumcised.
22. Mary purified.
25. Simeon and Anna prophesy of Jesus,
39. who increases in wisdom,
41. questions in the temple with the teachers,
51. and is obedient to his parents.














After three days
This phrase indicates the duration of time that Mary and Joseph were searching for Jesus. The number three often holds significant meaning in the Bible, symbolizing completeness or divine perfection. In the context of Jesus' life, the three days can also foreshadow His resurrection, where He rose on the third day, signifying victory over death and the fulfillment of God's plan.

they found Him
The act of finding Jesus after a period of searching can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual discovery. In the Greek, the word "found" (εὗρον, heurisko) implies a successful search, suggesting that those who earnestly seek Jesus will indeed find Him. This aligns with the biblical promise that those who seek will find (Matthew 7:7).

in the temple courts
The temple was the center of Jewish religious life, a place of worship, teaching, and sacrifice. Jesus being found in the temple courts highlights His connection to His Father's house and His early understanding of His divine mission. The temple courts were also a place of learning, where rabbis taught and discussed the Scriptures, indicating Jesus' engagement with religious leaders.

sitting among the teachers
This phrase emphasizes Jesus' position among the learned men of His time. The Greek word for "sitting" (καθεζόμενον, kathezomenon) suggests a posture of both humility and authority. Jesus, even as a young boy, was not only learning but also contributing to the discussions, demonstrating His wisdom and understanding of the Scriptures.

listening to them
Jesus' act of listening shows His respect for the teachers and His desire to learn. It reflects the importance of being attentive to God's Word and the teachings of those who have studied it. Listening is a key aspect of discipleship and spiritual growth, as it opens the heart to understanding and wisdom.

and asking them questions
This phrase highlights Jesus' active engagement in the learning process. The Greek word for "asking" (ἐπερωτῶντα, eperotonta) implies a deep inquiry, suggesting that Jesus was not merely asking simple questions but probing into the deeper meanings of the Scriptures. This demonstrates His wisdom and His role as a teacher, even at a young age.

(46) Sitting in the midst of the doctors.--A chamber of the Temple was set apart as a kind of open free school. The "doctors" or teachers--famous "doctors of the Law" (Acts 5:34)--sat "in Moses' seat;" the older students on a low bench; the younger on the ground, literally "at the feet" of their instructor. The relation between master and scholar was often one of affectionate reverence and sympathy, and was expressed by one of the famous scribes in a saying worth remembering, "I have learnt much from the Rabbis, my teachers; I have learnt more from the Rabbis, my colleagues; but from my scholars I have learnt most of all." It is interesting to think that among the doctors then present may have been the venerable Hillel, then verging upon his hundredth year; his son and successor, Simeon; his grandson, the then youthful Gamaliel; Jonathan, the writer of the Chaldee Targum or Paraphrase of the Sacred Books; and Shammai, the rival of Hillel, who "bound" where the latter "loosed."

Both hearing them, and asking them questions.--The method of teaching was, we see, essentially and reciprocally catechetical. The kind of questions current in the schools would include such as, What is the great commandment of the Law? What may or may not be done on the Sabbath? How is such a precept to be paraphrased; what is its true meaning? As the Targum of Jonathan included the books of Joshua, Judges 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve Minor Prophets, the questions may probably have turned also on the meaning of prophecies, the expectations of the Christ, and the like. The legends of the Apocryphal Gospels make the wisdom of the child Jesus take a wide range over astronomy and other sciences.

Verse 46. - And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple. According to the common way of reckoning among the Hebrews, this expression, "after three days," probably means "on the third day." One day was consumed in the usual short pilgrim-journey. His absence at first would excite no attention; on the second, as they missed him still, they sought him in the various pilgrim-companies; and on the day following they found him in the temple courts, with the doctors of the Law. Sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. In the temple enclosure, says the Talmud, there were three synagogues - one at the gate of the court of the Gentiles, another at the entrance of the court of the Israelites, a third in the south-east part of the inner court: it was in these that the rabbis expounded the Law. Among the famous doctors, or rabbis, then living and teaching in Jerusalem, were the famous Hillel, then very aged, verging, we are told, on his hundredth year; his almost equally illustrious rival, Shammai; Gamaliel, the master of Saul of Tarsus; Jonathan, the compiler of the Chaldee Paraphrase of the sacred books; Simeon, the son and successor of Hillel; Nicodemus, who, some years afterwards, came to Jesus by night, and, when the end was come, reverently assisted in laying the King's Son with all honor in his tomb in Joseph of Arimathaea's garden. We may, with great probability, assume that amongst those "doctors" whom the Boy questioned at that Passover Feast, some if not all of these well-known men were sitting. The apocryphal Gospels, as usual, profess to give us details where the true story is reverently silent. The 'Gospel of Thomas' (second century), for instance, tells us that Jesus, when on the road to Nazareth, returned of his own accord to Jerusalem, and amazed the rabbis of the temple by his solution of the hardest and most difficult questions of the Law and the prophets. In an Arabic Gospel of somewhat later date than that of Thomas, we find the Boy even teaching the astronomers the secrets of their own difficult study. Probably Stier's simple words approach the nearest to the truth here, when he suggests that his questions were "the pure questions of innocence and of truth, which keenly and deeply penetrated into the confused errors of the rabbinical teaching."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Finally,
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

after
μετὰ (meta)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

three
τρεῖς (treis)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 5140: Three. Or neuter tria a primary number; 'three'.

days
ἡμέρας (hēmeras)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2250: A day, the period from sunrise to sunset.

they found
εὗρον (heuron)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.

Him
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

temple courts,
ἱερῷ (hierō)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2411: Neuter of hieros; a sacred place, i.e. The entire precincts of the Temple.

sitting
καθεζόμενον (kathezomenon)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2516: To be sitting, sit down, be seated. From kata and the base of hedraios; to sit down.

among
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

teachers,
διδασκάλων (didaskalōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 1320: A teacher, master. From didasko; an instructor.

listening to
ἀκούοντα (akouonta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

them
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

asking them questions.
ἐπερωτῶντα (eperōtōnta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1905: To interrogate, question, demand of. From epi and erotao; to ask for, i.e. Inquire, seek.


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