The Decree of Caesar Augustus

The words

Luke 2:1–7 (opens a new tab)

1. Augustus

   Augustus is the ruler named in Luke’s decree. The order introduces the registration that brings Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem.

   Did you know?

   The Metropolitan Museum describes Augustus as an honorific title conferred on Octavian by the Roman Senate in 27 BCE.

   Luke 2:1; Luke 2:4–5 (opens a new tab) · Met Museum: Augustus’s title (opens a new tab)

2. Bethlehem

   Luke names Bethlehem as Joseph’s destination, calling it the city of David and explaining that Joseph belongs to David’s house and lineage.

   Did you know?

   Moravian Archives quotes a diary recording that Zinzendorf named the Pennsylvania settlement Bethlehem on December 24, 1741, linking the choice with Christmas.

   Luke 2:4 (opens a new tab) · Moravian Archives: naming Bethlehem (opens a new tab)

3. Caesar

   A title for the Roman emperor, as the NET’s note explains.

   Luke names Caesar Augustus as the source of the decree, then describes people going to their own cities to be registered.

   Luke 2:1; Luke 2:3 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Luke 2:1-7 (opens a new tab)

4. City of David

   In this passage, Luke calls Bethlehem the city of David and links Joseph’s journey there to his membership in David’s house and lineage.

   Luke 2:4 (opens a new tab)

5. Cyrenius

   Luke names Cyrenius as governor of Syria when dating this registration; the NET uses Quirinius for the same official.

   Luke 2:2 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Luke 2:1-7 (opens a new tab)

6. Decree

   Luke opens with a decree from Caesar Augustus for “all the world” to be taxed; the NET renders the scope as “all the empire.”

   Luke 2:1 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Luke 2:1-7 (opens a new tab)

7. Delivered

   Here, to give birth, in the NET’s wording.

   Luke says Mary’s time to be delivered comes while they are in Bethlehem; the next verse tells of the birth and her care for the baby.

   Luke 2:4–7 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Luke 2:1-7 (opens a new tab)

8. Espoused

   Luke includes Mary in Joseph’s journey for the registration, describing her as his espoused wife and saying she is with child.

   Luke 2:5 (opens a new tab)

9. Firstborn

   Luke calls Mary’s child her firstborn son, then describes her wrapping him and laying him in a manger because there is no room in the inn.

   Luke 2:5; Luke 2:7 (opens a new tab)

10. Governor

    In the KJV, Luke’s brief note places the registration during Cyrenius’s governorship of Syria, before the account resumes with people going to their own cities.

    Luke 2:2–3 (opens a new tab)

11. Judaea

    Judea, in the NET’s spelling.

    Luke follows Joseph from Nazareth in Galilee into Judaea, naming Bethlehem as the destination and connecting the journey with David’s family line.

    Luke 2:4 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Luke 2:1-7 (opens a new tab)

12. Lineage

    Joseph’s link to David explains the destination in Luke’s account: he goes to Bethlehem because he is of David’s house and lineage.

    Luke 2:4 (opens a new tab)

13. Swaddling

    After the birth, Luke says Mary wraps her son in swaddling clothes and lays him in a manger, giving the lack of room as the reason.

    Luke 2:5; Luke 2:7 (opens a new tab)

14. Syria

    Syria is the place Luke names in his note about Cyrenius’s governorship, before the account follows Joseph from Galilee to Bethlehem in Judaea.

    Luke 2:2; Luke 2:4 (opens a new tab)

15. Taxing

    Luke’s taxing sends each person to his own city; the NET renders the action as being registered, and Joseph makes the journey with Mary.

    Luke 2:3–5 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Luke 2:1-7 (opens a new tab)