Luke 2:12
ESV
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
NIV
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
NASB
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'
CSB
This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger."
NLT
And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.'
KJV
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
NKJV
And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
What does Luke 2:12 mean?
Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem (Luke 2:6–7). Shortly after, an angel appears to local shepherds to tell them the good news (Luke 2:8–11). That God chose to announce the birth of the Savior (Isaiah 9:6–7) to common men further emphasizes that this is a gospel for the entire world (Luke 2:32).Scripture does not record the angel telling these men, "go and see the Messiah." Yet his words seem to assume that's what they will do. In fact, by offering a way to recognize Christ, the angel is both permitting and encouraging them to seek Him out. To identify Jesus, the angel tells them how Mary has swaddled her Son and placed Him in a feeding trough. Despite being the prophesied birthplace of the Christ, Bethlehem was never a large town (Micah 5:2). Telling these men to look for a swaddled newborn in a manger was more than enough to bring them to the right location.
