Luke 3:31

Luke 3:31, in plain English

The line comes through Melea, Menna, Mattatha, then Nathan—a son of King David. This is where Jesus' connection to David's royal family is established.

Why it's here

Luke traces Jesus' line through Nathan, a different son of David than the one Matthew uses (Solomon). Both paths confirm Jesus as David's descendant and rightful heir.

Who's speaking

Luke connects Jesus' ancestry to King David through the line of Nathan.

Where it sits in the story

And there it is—King David. The shepherd boy who became king, the man after God's own heart. Jesus descends from his line, fulfilling the promise that David's throne would last forever.

The scholarly reading

The genealogy lists: the son of Melea, Menna, Mattatha, Nathan, David. Nathan is David's son through whom Luke traces Jesus' lineage, differing from Matthew's line through Solomon.

Language and setting

Luke traces through Nathan (2 Samuel 5:14) rather than Solomon, possibly representing Mary's biological lineage versus Joseph's legal lineage in Matthew. This bypasses the royal curse on Jeconiah's line (Jeremiah 22:30).

Voice

Luke traces the genealogy to David through his son Nathan.

Significance

The genealogy reaches King David, but through his lesser-known son Nathan rather than Solomon. This alternative royal line connects Jesus to David while navigating the complexities of prophetic promises and curses.

29the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

30the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

31the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

32the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon,

33the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

Read all of Luke 3 — John the Baptist doesn't just call for repentance — he gets specific. Tax collectors, soldiers, and crowds all hear what it costs to change.