Luke 2:3
New International Version
And everyone went to their own town to register.

New Living Translation
All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.

English Standard Version
And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

Berean Standard Bible
And everyone went to his own town to register.

Berean Literal Bible
And all were going to be registered, each to his own city.

King James Bible
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

New King James Version
So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

New American Standard Bible
And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city.

NASB 1995
And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.

NASB 1977
And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city.

Legacy Standard Bible
And everyone was going to be registered for the census, each to his own city.

Amplified Bible
And everyone went to register for the census, each to his own city.

Christian Standard Bible
So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

American Standard Version
And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city.

Contemporary English Version
Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed.

English Revised Version
And all went to enroll themselves, every one to his own city.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
All the people went to register in the cities where their ancestors had lived.

Good News Translation
Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own hometown.

International Standard Version
So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered.

Majority Standard Bible
And everyone went to his own town to register.

NET Bible
Everyone went to his own town to be registered.

New Heart English Bible
All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.

Webster's Bible Translation
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

Weymouth New Testament
and all went to be registered--every one to the town to which he belonged.

World English Bible
All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and all were going to be registered, each to his proper city,

Berean Literal Bible
And all were going to be registered, each to his own city.

Young's Literal Translation
and all were going to be enrolled, each to his proper city,

Smith's Literal Translation
And all went to be enrolled, each in his own city.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And all went to be declared, each one to his own city.

New American Bible
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.

New Revised Standard Version
All went to their own towns to be registered.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And every man went to be registered in his own city.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And everyone was going to be registered in his own city.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And all went to be enrolled, each one to his own city.

Godbey New Testament
And all were going forth to enroll, each one into his own city.

Haweis New Testament
And all went to be registered, every one to his own city.

Mace New Testament
all went to be registred, every one to his native city.

Weymouth New Testament
and all went to be registered--every one to the town to which he belonged.

Worrell New Testament
And all were going to be enrolled, each to his own city.

Worsley New Testament
every one to his own city:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Birth of Jesus
2This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And everyone went to his own town to register. 4So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David.…

Cross References
Matthew 2:1-6
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, / asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” / When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ...

Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

Matthew 1:18-25
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. / Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly. / But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ...

John 7:42
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

Acts 5:37
After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.

1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

2 Samuel 7:12-16
And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. / I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. ...

Isaiah 9:6-7
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. / Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.

Jeremiah 23:5
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.

Romans 1:3
regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh,

Galatians 4:4
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Philippians 2:7
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Hebrews 7:14
For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests.

Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.

Ruth 4:11-22
“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem. / And may your house become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring the LORD will give you by this young woman.” / So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And when he had relations with her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

Jump to Previous
Belonged Census City Enrol Enroll Enrolled Inscribed Numbered Proper Register Registered Roll Taxed Themselves Way
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Belonged Census City Enrol Enroll Enrolled Inscribed Numbered Proper Register Registered Roll Taxed Themselves Way
Luke 2
1. Augustus taxes all the Roman empire.
6. The nativity of Jesus.
8. An angel relates it to the shepherds, and many sing praises to God for it.
15. The shepherds glorify God.
21. Jesus is circumcised.
22. Mary purified.
25. Simeon and Anna prophesy of Jesus,
39. who increases in wisdom,
41. questions in the temple with the teachers,
51. and is obedient to his parents.














And everyone went
This phrase indicates a universal compliance with the decree issued by Caesar Augustus for a census. The Roman Empire was known for its administrative efficiency, and censuses were conducted for taxation and military purposes. The decree would have been enforced throughout the empire, demonstrating the far-reaching influence of Roman authority. This also sets the stage for the fulfillment of prophecy, as it orchestrates the movement of people, including Joseph and Mary, to specific locations.

to his own town
In the context of Jewish culture, one's "own town" refers to the ancestral home or the town of one's lineage. This reflects the Jewish custom of tracing one's heritage and tribal affiliation, which was significant for maintaining family records and property rights. For Joseph, this meant traveling to Bethlehem, the city of David, as he was of the house and lineage of David. This connection to David is crucial, as it fulfills the Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah would come from David's line (2 Samuel 7:12-16).

to register
The act of registering was part of the Roman census process, which required individuals to be counted and recorded for taxation purposes. This registration was not merely a bureaucratic formality but a legal obligation that had significant implications for the people involved. The census, while a Roman imposition, also serves a divine purpose in the narrative, as it leads to the fulfillment of Micah 5:2, which prophesies that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. This demonstrates God's sovereignty in using worldly events to accomplish His divine plan.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Caesar Augustus
The Roman Emperor at the time, who issued the decree for a census.

2. Joseph and Mary
Residents of Nazareth who traveled to Bethlehem to register, as Joseph was of the house and lineage of David.

3. Bethlehem
The town where Joseph and Mary traveled to register, fulfilling the prophecy of the Messiah's birthplace.

4. Census
The event decreed by Caesar Augustus, requiring everyone to return to their ancestral towns for registration.

5. Roman Empire
The ruling authority over Judea, under which the census was conducted.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty in World Events
The decree by Caesar Augustus, a secular ruler, was used by God to fulfill His divine plan. This reminds us that God is in control of all events, even those orchestrated by earthly authorities.

Obedience to Authority
Joseph and Mary's compliance with the Roman decree demonstrates the importance of obeying governmental laws, as long as they do not conflict with God's commands.

Fulfillment of Prophecy
The journey to Bethlehem highlights the precision of God's promises. Believers can trust that God will fulfill His Word in His perfect timing.

The Humble Beginnings of Jesus
The circumstances of Jesus' birth, initiated by the census, reflect His humility and willingness to enter into the human condition. This challenges us to embrace humility in our own lives.

God's Use of Ordinary People
Joseph and Mary were ordinary individuals used by God for extraordinary purposes. This encourages us to be faithful in our everyday lives, knowing God can use us for His plans.(3) All went to be taxed.--As a rule the practice in a Roman census was to register people in their place of residence; but this was probably modified in Palestine, in deference to the feelings of the people. After the death of Herod and the division of his kingdom, such a method as that implied hero could hardly have been feasible, as the subjects of one tetrarchy would not have been registered as belonging to another, so that here again we have not an error, but a special note of accuracy.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

everyone
πάντες (pantes)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

went
ἐπορεύοντο (eporeuonto)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4198: To travel, journey, go, die.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

his own
ἑαυτοῦ (heautou)
Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself.

town
πόλιν (polin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4172: A city, the inhabitants of a city. Probably from the same as polemos, or perhaps from polus; a town.

to register.
ἀπογράφεσθαι (apographesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 583: From apo and grapho; to write off, i.e. Enrol.


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NT Gospels: Luke 2:3 All went to enroll themselves everyone (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 2:2
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