The Greek noun agkalē (Ἀγκάλη) refers to the bent arm, the arm curved for holding or embracing. It appears in the New Testament only in Luke 2:28, where the aged prophet Simeon took the infant Jesus into his arms and praised God. The word emphasizes the intimate, physical act of holding — arms curved around a child.
The single New Testament occurrence of agkalē is one of the most tender moments in all of Scripture. Simeon — described as righteous, devout, and awaiting Israel's consolation — had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple, Simeon took him in his arms (agkalē) and said: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation" (Luke 2:29-30). The arms of an old man holding the infant Savior — this is the fullness of time captured in a single gesture. Centuries of waiting, collapsed into an embrace. The word agkalē also appears in the Septuagint (Greek OT) in contexts of holding and cherishing children, underlining the nurturing, life-giving quality of this embrace.