Luke 2:23 (ASV)

Passage

(as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord),

Nearby Context

Luke 2:21 And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Luke 2:22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord

Luke 2:23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord),

Luke 2:24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Luke 2:25 And 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "written", "lord", "male", "openeth", "womb", "shall", and "holy". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "written", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "And when the days of their purification..." into verse 24's "and to offer a sacrifice according to...", so "called" and "written" belong inside that flow. In Luke context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "called" and "written" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.