Luke 2 · Verse 32

Luke 2:32

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Luke 2:32, King James Version

Luke 2:32 in other translations

BSBa light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
WEBa light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”
ASVA light for revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of thy people Israel.
YLTa light to the uncovering of nations, and the glory of Thy people Israel.'
DARBYa light for revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.
BBEA light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
WebsterA light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

What does Luke 2:32 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 2:31-32

31-32. all people--all the peoples, mankind at large. a light to the Gentiles--then in thick darkness. glory of thy people Israel--already Thine, and now, in the believing portion of it, to be so more gloriously than ever. It will be observed that this "swan-like song, bidding an eternal farewell to this terrestrial life" [Olshausen], takes a more comprehensive view of the kingdom of Christ than that of Zacharias…

Read the full comment on Luke 2:31-32 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 32. A light to lighten the Gentiles (p). This is in accordance with the prophecies in the Old Testament, Isa 49:1-26, 9:6,7 Ps 98:3, Mal 4:2. The Gentiles are represented as sitting in darkness--that is, in ignorance and sin. Christ is a light to them, as by him they will be made acquainted with the character of the true God, his law, and the plan of redemption. As the darkness rolls away when the sun arises, so ignorance and error flee away when Jesus gives light to the mind. Nations shall come to his light, and kings to the brightness of his rising, Isa 60:3.

And the glory, &c. The first offer of salvation was made to the Jews, Jn 4:22; Lk 24:47. Jesus was born among the Jews; to them had been given the prophecies respecting him, and his first ministry was among them. Hence he was their glory, their honour, their light. But it is a subject of special gratitude to us that the Saviour was given also for the Gentiles; for,

1. We are Gentiles, and if he had not come we should have been shut out from the blessings of redemption.

2. It is he only that now
"Can make our dying bed
Feel soft as downy pillows are,
While on his breast we lean our head,
And breathe our life out sweetly there."
Thus our departure may be like that of Simeon. Thus we may die in peace. Thus it will be a blessing to die. But,

3. In order to do this, our life must be like that of Simeon. We must wait for the consolation of Israel. We must look for his coming. We must be holy, harmless, undefiled, loving the Saviour. Then death to us, like death to Simeon, will have no terror; we shall depart in peace, and in heaven see the salvation of God, 2Pet 3:11,12. But,

4. Children, as well as the hoary-headed Simeon, may look for the coming of Christ. They too must die; and their death will be happy only as they depend on the Lord Jesus, and are prepared to meet him.

(p) Isa 42:6, 49:6, 60:3, Acts 13:47,48

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles - Φως εις αποκαλυψιν εθνων - A light of the Gentiles, for revelation. By Moses and the prophets, a light of revelation was given to the Jews, in the blessedness of which the Gentiles did not partake. By Christ and his apostles, a luminous revelation is about to be given unto the Gentiles, from the blessedness of which the Jews in general, by their obstinacy and unbelief, shall be long excluded. But to all true Israelites it shall be a glory, an evident fulfillment of all the predictions of the prophets, relative to the salvation of a lost world; and the first offers of it shall be made to the Jewish people, who may see in it the truth of their own Scriptures indisputably evinced.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 2:25-35

The same Spirit that provided for the support of Simeon's hope, provided for his joy. Those who would see Christ must go to his temple. Here is a confession of his faith, that this Child in his arms was the Saviour, the salvation itself, the salvation of God's appointing. He bids farewell to this world. How poor does this world look to one that has Christ in his arms, and salvation in his view! See here, how…

Read the full comment on Luke 2:25-35 →

Luke 2:32 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.

φῶςphōsa lightG5457
εἰςeisforG1519
ἀποκάλυψινapokalupsinrevelationG602
ἐθνῶνethnōnof [the] GentilesG1484
καὶkaiandG2532
δόξανdoxangloryG1391
λαοῦlaouof [the] peopleG2992
σουsouof YouG4771
Ἰσραήλ.¶Israēlof Israel.G2474

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

Cross references for Luke 2:32

  • Isaiah 60:1-3

    Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

  • Isaiah 49:6

    And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

  • Acts 26:23

    That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

  • Acts 13:47-48

    For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

  • Isaiah 42:6-7

    I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

  • Isaiah 9:2

    The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

  • Revelation 21:23

    And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

  • Isaiah 60:19

    The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

  • Acts 28:28

    Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

  • Matthew 4:16

    The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

  • Isaiah 45:25

    In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

  • Zechariah 2:5

    For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
light.
Isa 9:2; 42:6,7; 49:6; 60:1-3,19; Mt 4:16; Ac 13:47,48; 28:28
Ro 15:8,9
and.
Ps 85:9; Isa 4:2; 45:25; 60:19; Jer 2:11; Zec 2:5; 1Co 1:31; Re 21:23

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

Context

  • Luke 2:31

    Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

  • Luke 2:32

    A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

  • Luke 2:33

    And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

Read all of Luke 2

Luke 2:32 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Luz para ser revelada á los Gentiles, y la gloria de tu pueblo Israel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		une lumière pour la révélation des nations, et la gloire de ton peuple Israël.
German
Elberfelder 1871		ein Licht zur Offenbarung der Nationen und zur Herrlichkeit deines Volkes Israel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuæ Israël.