Event New Testament
The presentation in the temple
Also known as Simeon and Anna, Nunc dimittis
Joseph and Mary brought the infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and offer the sacrifice the law required of a poor family. Simeon, promised he would see the Lord's Christ, took the child in his arms and called Him a light for the nations; the prophetess Anna gave thanks and spoke of Him to all who waited for redemption.
Why it matters. Two elderly believers recognize the Messiah in a forty-day-old child, and Simeon's words about a light for the Gentiles and a sword for Mary preview the reach and the cost of Jesus' mission.
- Primary passages
- Witnesses
Chronology confidence: medium
Luke alone records the presentation, forty days after the birth according to Leviticus 12. Luke 2:39 then moves the family straight to Nazareth, while Matthew has them in Bethlehem for the magi and then in Egypt; how the two sequences fit is an old harmonization question that FaithGraph describes rather than resolves.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
Connections
The birth of Jesus precedes The presentation in the temple
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidenceThe presentation follows the birth by the days of purification required in the law, about forty days.
Evidence:The presentation in the temple precedes The visit of the magi
Historical inferenceMedium confidenceMatthew's magi find a child in a house and Herod targets boys up to two years old, which suggests a visit some time after the forty-day presentation. Luke 2:39 moves the family directly to Nazareth, so the ordering is a harmonization choice.
Evidence:Other responsible views
- Magi before the presentation: Some harmonizations place the magi within the first weeks in Bethlehem, before the trip to the temple, and the flight to Egypt after it.
Anna participates in The presentation in the temple
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidenceAnna comes forward at that moment, gives thanks, and speaks about the child.
Evidence:Jesus participates in The presentation in the temple
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidenceThe infant Jesus is brought to the temple and taken up in Simeon's arms.
Evidence:Joseph of Nazareth participates in The presentation in the temple
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidenceLuke says the parents brought the child in and marveled at what was said.
Mary, mother of Jesus participates in The presentation in the temple
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidenceSimeon addresses Mary directly with the word about the sword.
Evidence:Simeon participates in The presentation in the temple
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidenceSimeon, led by the Spirit into the temple, blesses God and the family.
Evidence:The presentation in the temple occurs at Jerusalem
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidenceLuke names Jerusalem as the destination of the presentation.
The presentation in the temple occurs at The temple in Jerusalem
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidenceThe family brings the child to Jerusalem and Simeon meets them in the temple courts.