Luke 2 · Verse 43

Luke 2:43

And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
Luke 2:43, King James Version

Luke 2:43 in other translations

BSBWhen those days were over and they were returning home, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but His parents were unaware He had stayed.
WEBand when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it,
ASVand when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not;
YLTand having finished the days, in their returning the child Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother did not know,
DARBYand had completed the days, as they returned, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents knew not of it;
BBEAnd when the days of the feast came to an end and they were going back, the boy Jesus was still in Jerusalem, but they had no knowledge of it:
WebsterAnd when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

What does Luke 2:43 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
43. as they returned--If the duties of life must give place to worship, worship, in its turn, must give place to them. Jerusalem is good, but Nazareth is good, too; let him who neglects the one, on pretext of attending to the other, ponder this scene. tarried behind ... Joseph and his mother knew not--Accustomed to the discretion and obedience of the lad [Olshausen], they might be thrown off their guard.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 43. Had fulfilled the days. The days of the Passover. These were eight days in all--one day for killing the paschal lamb, and seven days for the observance of the feast of unleavened bread, Ex 12:15; Lev 23:5,6.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 43 Had fulfilled the days - Eight days in the whole: one was the passover, and the other seven, the days of unleavened bread. See on Mat 26:2 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 2:41-52

It is for the honour of Christ that children should attend on public worship. His parents did not return till they had stayed all the seven days of the feast. It is well to stay to the end of an ordinance, as becomes those who say, It is good to be here. Those that have lost their comforts in Christ, and the evidences of their having a part in him, must bethink themselves where, and when, and how they lost them, and…

Read the full comment on Luke 2:41-52 →

Luke 2:43 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
τελειωσάντωνteleiōsantōnwhen having completedG5048
τὰςtastheG3588
ἡμέραςhēmerasdaysG2250
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
ὑποστρέφεινhupostrepheinreturningG5290
αὐτοὺςautousof themG846
ὑπέμεινενhupemeinenremained behindG5278
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ὁhotheG3588
παῖςpaisboyG3816
ἐνeninG1722
Ἰερουσαλήμ,IerousalēmJerusalem,G2419
καὶkaiButG2532
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔγνωσανegnōsanknewG1097
οἱhoitheG3588
γονεῖςgoneisparentsG1118
ἸωσὴφIōsēphJosephG2501
καὶkaiandG2532
ἡhētheG3588
μήτηρmētērmotherG3384
αὐτοῦ.autouof Him.G846

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

Cross references for Luke 2:43

  • 2 Chronicles 30:21-23

    And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord. And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers. And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

  • Exodus 12:15

    Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

  • 2 Chronicles 25:17

    Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 30:21-23; 25:17

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

Context

  • Luke 2:42

    And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

  • Luke 2:43

    And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

  • Luke 2:44

    But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

Read all of Luke 2

Luke 2:43 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y acabados los días, volviendo ellos, se quedó el niño Jesús en Jerusalem, sin saberlo José y su madre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et qu’ils avaient accompli les jours de la fête, comme ils s’en retournaient, l’enfant Jésus demeura dans Jérusalem; et ses parents ne le savaient pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und die Tage vollendet hatten, blieb bei ihrer Rückkehr der Knabe Jesus in Jerusalem zurück; und seine Eltern wußten es nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		consummatisque diebus, cum redirent, remansit puer Jesus in Jerusalem, et non cognoverunt parentes ejus.