Luke 3:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

NIV: the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

NASB: the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

CSB: son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph,

NLT: Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph.

KJV: Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,

NKJV: the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph,

Luke is tracing Jesus' earthly genealogy back to Adam. A common view holds that his list depicts Mary's family line, establishing Jesus as a literal biological descendant of David.

Names found in this verse, such as Levi and Joseph, do not correspond to the Old Testament figures themselves. Rather, as is seen in many cultures around the world, some names are more common than others. Famous figures tend to inspire namesakes.

Luke 3:23–38 traces the earthly ancestry of Jesus, apparently focusing on direct family lines. That is, Luke might be following literal birth, rather than by legal means such as adoption. Scholars differ on the precise meaning of these lines, but a common interpretation is that Luke is establishing Mary's ancestry. This establishes Jesus' physical relationship to His ancestor David (2 Samuel 7:12–16). Matthew's genealogy shows Joseph's descent from David, making his adoptive son, Jesus, a legal member of that line.

The early part of Luke's gospel shifts back and forth between the histories of Jesus and John the Baptist. Chapter 3 starts with historical and prophetic context about John. It then depicts some of John's interactions with local religious leaders. Luke gives only a brief description of Jesus' baptism. He also touches on John's criticism of Herod the Tetrarch, which would eventually result in John's execution (Matthew 14:10–12). The chapter ends with a genealogy of Christ.

Chapters 1 and 2 provided early history for both John the Baptist and Jesus. Chapter 3 establishes John's preaching ministry and its connection to Jesus Christ. The chapter ends with a genealogy which some believe runs through Mary's side of the family. Chapter 4 transitions from Jesus' baptism into His public ministry, by describing His fasting in the wilderness and temptation by Satan.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 4/28/2024 11:33:07 PM