Luke 2:37

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

and she had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), who departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Καὶ αὐτὴ χήρα ὡς ἐτῶν ὀγδοηκοντα τεσσάρων, ἣ οὐκ ἀφίστατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, νηστείαις καὶ δεήσεσιν λατρεύουσα νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν.

Transliteration

And she a chēra of about etōn ogdoēkonta tessarōn, who not aphistato from the hierou, with nēsteiais and deēsesin latreuousa nykta and hēmeran.

Grammar Details

*chēra*: nominative, feminine, singular - widow
*etōn*: genitive, neuter, plural - of years
*ogdoēkonta*: cardinal numeral - eighty
*tessarōn*: cardinal numeral, genitive - four
*aphistato*: imperfect indicative middle, 3rd singular - was departing/leaving
*hierou*: genitive, neuter, singular - from temple
*nēsteiais*: dative, feminine, plural - with fastings
*deēsesin*: dative, feminine, plural - with prayers/supplications
*latreuousa*: present participle active, nominative, feminine, singular - serving/worshiping
*nykta*: accusative, feminine, singular - night
*hēmeran*: accusative, feminine, singular - day

Word Meanings

*chēra*: widow/bereaved woman
*etōn*: years/periods of time
*aphistato*: departed/left/stayed away
*hierou*: temple/sanctuary
*nēsteiais*: fastings/abstinence from food
*deēsesin*: prayers/supplications/petitions
*latreuousa*: serving/worshiping/rendering religious service
*nykta*: night/nighttime
*hēmeran*: day/daytime

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

1 Tim 5:5 : 5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, hath her hope set on God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
Acts 14:23 : 23 And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.
Acts 26:7 : 7 unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, earnestly serving [God] night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O {G67} king!
Acts 13:3 : 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Rev 3:12 : 12 He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no {G3361} more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name.
Rev 7:15 : 15 Therefore {G5124} are they before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them.
Exod 38:8 : 8 And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the ministering women that ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.
1 Sam 2:2 : 2 There is none holy as Jehovah; For there is none besides thee, Neither is there any rock like our God.
Ps 22:2 : 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not; And in the night season, and am not silent.
Ps 23:6 : 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah for ever.
Ps 27:4 : 4 One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of Jehovah, And to inquire in his temple.
Ps 84:4 : 4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: They will be still praising thee. Selah
Ps 84:10 : 10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Ps 92:13 : 13 They are planted in the house of Jehovah; They shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Ps 135:1-2 : 1 Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye the name of Jehovah; Praise [him], O ye servants of Jehovah, 2 Ye that stand in the house of Jehovah, In the courts of the house of our God.
Luke 5:33 : 33 And they said unto him, The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; {G2532} likewise also the [disciples] of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Luke 2:36
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36And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,
Luke 2:38
78%
38And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God, and spake of him to all them that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
1 Tim 5:5
71%
5Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, hath her hope set on God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
1 Tim 5:9-10
2 verses
67%
9Let none be enrolled as a widow under threescore years old, [having been] the wife of one man,
10well reported of for good works; if she hath brought up children, if she hath used hospitality to strangers, if she hath washed the saints' feet, if she hath relieved the afflicted, if she hath diligently followed every good work.
Luke 21:2-4
3 verses
67%
2And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, {G3754} This poor widow cast in more than they all:
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Luke 1:7-8
2 verses
67%
7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were [now] well stricken in years.
8Now it came to pass, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
Luke 24:53
66%
53and were continually in the temple, blessing God.
Luke 4:25
66%
25But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up {G1909} three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;
Mark 12:42-44
3 verses
66%
42And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing.
43And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, {G3754} This poor widow cast in more than all they that are casting into the treasury:
44for they all did cast in of their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, [even] all her living.
1 Sam 1:10-13
4 verses
66%
10And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore.
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12And it came to pass, as she continued praying before Jehovah, that Eli marked her mouth.
13Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
1 Sam 1:26
65%
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Luke 1:23
64%
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Luke 18:2-3
2 verses
64%
2saying, There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, and regarded not man:
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Luke 2:29
63%
29Now lettest thou thy servant depart, Lord, According to thy word, in peace;
Luke 1:10
63%
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2 Kgs 4:14
63%
14And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no son, and her husband is old.
Acts 9:39-41
3 verses
63%
39And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
40But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41And he gave her his hand, and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
Luke 1:36
63%
36And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren.
Acts 9:36-37
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36Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
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Luke 13:11
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Luke 8:3
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Luke 18:5
63%
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1 Sam 1:22
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Acts 10:2
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Luke 1:5
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5There was in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
1 Sam 1:18
62%
18And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat; and her countenance was no more [sad].
Luke 7:12
62%
12Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, there was carried out one that was dead, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
Luke 2:25
62%
25And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Luke 1:18
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Acts 10:30
62%
30And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel,
2 Kgs 4:9
62%
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1 Tim 5:3
62%
3Honor widows that are widows indeed.
Luke 8:43
62%
43And a woman having {G1722} an issue of blood {G575} twelve years, who had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any,
Luke 1:75
61%
75In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
1 Sam 1:15
61%
15And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Jehovah.
1 Sam 1:7
61%
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2 Kgs 8:2
61%
2And the woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God; and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.