What Does “Firstborn” Mean in the Bible?
The child who is born first.
A detail
- Careful: under the Law, the first son had special rights and was consecrated to God. Calling Jesus this does not mean that other children were born later: the Church teaches that Jesus is the only Son of Mary.
Where it appears in the Bible
Luke 2:7
What the Bible says
Luke 2:7
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
Source: NABRE notes on Luke 2:7 and 2:22; Catechism 500-501