And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Anna doesn't just passively receive the news from Simeon; she immediately steps forward to offer her own praise and share the hope of this child with others. This shows that her deep devotion wasn't just personal, but actively sought to witness to the promised redemption for Jerusalem.
And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just moments after Simeon prophesied about the infant Jesus, Anna, an elderly prophetess, arrives and also begins to praise God. She speaks of Jesus to everyone in the temple courts who had been waiting for the promised deliverance of Jerusalem, identifying this child as that long-awaited redemption. Her testimony reinforces Simeon's, speaking to those who recognized the significance of Jesus' arrival.
Imagine standing in the temple, watching a prophet hold the promised Messiah. What's your immediate reaction? For Anna, it was an immediate outpouring of praise and a passionate witness.
The text emphasizes the immediacy of Anna's response: "And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him." This wasn't a delayed reaction; it was a spontaneous overflow of a heart deeply connected to God's promises.
Who did Anna speak to? Not just anyone, but those who shared her deep longing for God's intervention. Her witness was targeted and meaningful.
Anna didn't broadcast her message indiscriminately. She spoke to a specific group: "all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem." This highlights the importance of sharing the Gospel with those who are spiritually receptive.
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Understand the original words
lytrōsis · Greek Noun
The deliverance of God’s people from bondage, sin, or judgment. In the Old Testament, it refers to deliverance from physical captivity; in the New Testament, it refers to the spiritual liberation through Christ.
Anna's immediate praise and proclamation of Jesus at the Temple highlights a faithful remnant within Jerusalem who were actively anticipating God's promised redemption, contrasting with a wider populace perhaps less spiritually attuned.
c. 20-19 BC
Herod the Great's Temple Expansion
King Herod the Great begins a massive, decades-long renovation and expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, a significant project that would have been ongoing during Anna's lifetime and Simeon's.
c. 5 BC - AD 5
Birth of Jesus
Jesus is born in Bethlehem, likely within this approximate timeframe, during the reign of Caesar Augustus and King Herod Antipas in Galilee.
c. AD 25-26— this verse
Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
Mary and Joseph present the infant Jesus at the Jerusalem Temple, fulfilling Mosaic Law. During this event, the prophet Simeon and the prophetess Anna recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah and Redeemer of Israel.
c. AD 26-36
Pontius Pilate's Governorship
Pontius Pilate serves as the Roman prefect (governor) of Judea. This period of Roman occupation and local rule sets the political stage for Jesus' ministry.
c. AD 27-30
Public Ministry of Jesus
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples, fulfilling the prophecies spoken by Simeon and Anna.
This passage introduces Zechariah's prophecy about the 'redemption of our house,' directly paralleling Anna's testimony about looking for the 'redemption of Jerusalem' in Luke 2:38, highlighting the ongoing expectation of God's saving work.
Isaiah 40:2Anna's words echo the prophetic call to 'comfort ye my people' and proclaim that 'her warfare is accomplished, her iniquity is pardoned.' This links her specific testimony to Jerusalem with the broader Old Testament promise of divine deliverance and restoration.
Romans 8:23The idea of creation groaning and waiting for redemption in Romans finds a human parallel in Anna speaking of 'redemption' to those who were actively 'waiting for it,' showing a shared theme of eager anticipation for God's ultimate work of salvation.
1 Corinthians 1:7This verse speaks of eagerly waiting for the 'revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,' which connects with Anna's ministry to those 'waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem,' as both passages emphasize the anticipation of Christ's appearing and the completion of God's redemptive plan.
Luke 2:25Just as Simeon was 'waiting for the consolation of Israel,' Anna spoke to those 'waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.' This shows two faithful witnesses, representing different aspects of the same messianic hope, proclaiming Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promises.
jfbLuke 2:38: "And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."
- coming in—"presenting herself." She had been there already but now is found "standing by," as Simeon's testimony to the blessed Babe died away, ready to take it up "in turn" (as the word rendered "likewise" here means).to all them, &c.—the sense is, "to all them in Jerusalem that were looking for redemption"—saying in effect, In that Babe are…
meyerLuke 2:38: "And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."
Luke 2:38 . Αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ] in which occurred the previously described scene with Simeon. ἐπιστᾶσα ] having made her appearance , namely, to speak. Comp. Aeschin. p. 65, 5; Xen. Anab. v. 8. 9, Sympos. ii. 7. The suddenness and unexpectedness in the demeanour of the aged widow is implied also here (comp. on Luke 2:9 ) in the context. On ἀνθομολογεῖσθ…
Anna doesn't just passively receive the news from Simeon; she immediately steps forward to offer her own praise and share the hope of this child with others. This shows that her deep devotion wasn't just personal, but actively sought to witness to the promised redemption for Jerusalem.
Just moments after Simeon prophesied about the infant Jesus, Anna, an elderly prophetess, arrives and also begins to praise God. She speaks of Jesus to everyone in the temple courts who had been waiting for the promised deliverance of Jerusalem, identifying this child as that long-awaited redemption. Her testimony reinforces Simeon's, speaking to those who recognized the significance of Jesus' arrival.
Just moments after Simeon prophesied about the infant Jesus, Anna, an elderly prophetess, arrives and also begins to praise God. She speaks of Jesus to everyone in the temple courts who had been waiting for the promised deliverance of Jerusalem, identifying this child as that long-awaited redemption. Her testimony reinforces Simeon's, speaking to those who recognized the significance of Jesus' arrival.
"And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem." — Anna doesn't just passively receive the news from Simeon; she immediately steps forward to offer her own praise and share the hope of this child with others. This shows that her deep devotion wasn't…
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Last reviewed October 2026