Luke 2:26
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And he had knowledge, through the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death till he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Webster's Revision
And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
World English Bible
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Clarke's Luke 2:26 Bible Commentary
It was revealed unto him - He was divinely informed, κεχρηματισμενον - he had an express communication from God concerning the subject. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. The soul of a righteous and devout man is a proper habitation for the Holy Spirit.
He should not see death - They that seek shall find: it is impossible that a man who is earnestly seeking the salvation of God, should be permitted to die without finding it.
The Lord's Christ - Rather, the Lord's anointed. That prophet, priest, and king, who was typified by so many anointed persons under the old covenant; and who was appointed to come in the fullness of time, to accomplish all that was written in the law, in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning him. See the note on Luke 2:11.
Barnes's Luke 2:26 Bible Commentary
And it was revealed unto him - In what way this was done we are not informed. Sometimes a revelation was made by a dream, at others by a voice, and at others by silent suggestion. All we know of this is that it was by the Holy Spirit.
Not see death - Should not die. To "see" death and to "taste" of death, was a common way among the Hebrews of expressing death itself. Compare Psalm 89:48.
The Lord's Christ - Rather "the Lord's Anointed." The word "Christ" means "anointed," and it would have been better to use that word here. To an aged man who had been long waiting for the Messiah, how grateful must have been this revelation - this solemn assurance that the Messiah was near! But this revelation is now given to every man, that he need not taste of death until, by the eye of faith, he may see the Christ of God. He is offered freely. He has come. He waits to manifest himself to the world, and he is not willing that any should die forever. To us also it will be as great a privilege in our dying hours to have seen Christ by faith as it was to Simeon. It will be the only thing that can support us then - the only thing that will enable us to depart in peace.