Luke 2:43 (DRB)

Passage

And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents knew it not.

Nearby Context

Luke 2:41 And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the pasch.

Luke 2:42 And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast,

Luke 2:43 And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents knew it not.

Luke 2:44 And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance.

Luke 2:45 And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "having", "fulfilled", "days", "returned", "child", "jesus", "remained", and "jerusalem". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "having" and "fulfilled", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 42's "And when he was twelve years old..." into verse 44's "And thinking that he was in the...", so "having" and "fulfilled" 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 "having" and "fulfilled" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.