Luke 2 · Verse 20

Luke 2:20

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Luke 2:20, King James Version

Luke 2:20 in other translations

BSB	The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.
WEB	The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
ASV	And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.
YLT	and the shepherds turned back, glorifying and praising God, for all those things they heard and saw, as it was spoken unto them.
DARBY	And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all things which they had heard and seen, as it had been said to them.
BBE	Then the keepers of the sheep went back, giving glory and praise to God for all the things which had come to their ears and which they had seen, as it had been said to them.
Webster	And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.

What does Luke 2:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

20. glorifying and praising God, &c.--The latter word, used of the song of the angels (Lu 2:13), and in Lu 19:37, and Lu 24:53, leads us to suppose that theirs was a song too, probably some canticle from the Psalter--meet vehicle for the swelling emotions of their simple hearts at what "they had heard and seen."

Lu 2:21. Circumcision of Christ.

Here only recorded, and even here merely alluded to, for the sake of the name then given to the holy Babe, "Jesus," or Saviour (Mt 1:21; Ac 13:23). Yet in this naming of Him "Saviour," in the act of circumcising Him, which was a symbolical and bloody removal of the body of sin, we have a tacit intimation that they "had need"--as John said of His Baptism--rather to be circumcised by Him "with the circumcision made without hands, in the putting off of the body [of the sins] of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ" (Col 2:11), and that He only "suffered it to be so, because thus it became Him to fulfil all righteousness" (Mt 3:15). Still the circumcision of Christ had a profound bearing on His own work--by few rightly apprehended. For since "he that is circumcised is a debtor to do the whole law" (Ga 5:3), Jesus thus bore about with Him in His very flesh the seal of a voluntary obligation to do the whole law--by Him only possible in the flesh since the fall. And as He was "made under the law" for no ends of His own, but only "to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons" (Ga 4:4, 5), the obedience to which His circumcision pledged Him was a redeeming obedience--that of a "Saviour." And, finally, as "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law" by "being made a curse for us" (Ga 3:13), we must regard Him, in His circumcision, as brought under a palpable pledge to be "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Php 2:8).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 20. The shepherds returned. To their flocks.

Glorifying, &c. Giving honour to God, and celebrating his praises.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising - These simple men, having satisfactory evidence of the truth of the good tidings, and feeling a Divine influence upon their own minds, returned to the care of their flocks, glorifying God for what he had shown them, and for the blessedness which they felt. "Jesus Christ, born of a woman, laid in a stable, proclaimed and ministered to by the heavenly host, should be a subject of frequent contemplation to the pastors of his Church. After having compared the predictions of the prophets with the facts stated in the evangelic history, their own souls being hereby confirmed in these sacred truths, they will return to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for what they had seen and heard in the Gospel history, just as it had been told them in the writings of the prophets; and, preaching these mysteries with the fullest conviction of their truth, they become instruments in the hands of God of begetting the same faith in their hearers; and thus the glory of God and the happiness of his people are both promoted." What subjects for contemplation! - what matter for praise!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 2:8-20

Angels were heralds of the new-born Saviour, but they were only sent to some poor, humble, pious, industrious shepherds, who were in the business of their calling, keeping watch over their flock. We are not out of the way of Divine visits, when we are employed in an honest calling, and abide with God in it. Let God have the honour of this work; Glory to God in the highest. God's good-will to men, manifested in…

Read the full comment on Luke 2:8-20 →

Luke 2:20 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

ὑπέστρεψανhupestrepsanreturnedG5290

οἱhoitheG3588

ποιμένεςpoimenesshepherdsG4166

δοξάζοντεςdoxazontesglorifyingG1392

καὶkaiandG2532

αἰνοῦντεςainountespraisingG134

τὸνton<the>G3588

θεὸνtheonGodG2316

ἐπὶepiforG1909

πᾶσινpasinall thingsG3956

οἷςhoiswhichG3739

ἤκουσανēkousanthey had heardG191

καὶkaiandG2532

εἶδονeidonseenG1492

καθὼςkathōseven asG2531

ἐλαλήθηelalēthēit was saidG2980

πρὸςprostoG4314

αὐτούς.¶autousthem.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 2:20

Psalms 106:48
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.
Acts 11:18
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
1 Chronicles 29:10-12
Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Psalms 72:17-19
His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
Matthew 9:8
But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
Isaiah 29:19
The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Psalms 107:21
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalms 107:15
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Acts 2:46-47
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Luke 18:43
And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.
Luke 19:37-38
And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Psalms 107:8
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

18:43; 19:37,38; 1Ch 29:10-12; Ps 72:17-19; 106:48; 107:8,15,21
Isa 29:19; Ac 2:46,47; 11:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Luke 2:19
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:20
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Luke 2:21
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Read all of Luke 2

Luke 2:20 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y se volvieron los pastores glorificando y alabando á Dios de todas las cosas que habían oído y visto, como les había sido dicho.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et les bergers s’en retournèrent, glorifiant et louant Dieu de toutes les choses qu’ils avaient entendues et vues, selon qu’il leur en avait été parlé.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und die Hirten kehrten um, indem sie Gott verherrlichten und lobten über alles, was sie gehört und gesehen hatten, so wie es ihnen gesagt worden war.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et reversi sunt pastores glorificantes et laudantes Deum in omnibus quæ audierant et viderant, sicut dictum est ad illos.