King James Bible
"Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,"
This portion continues Luke's genealogy of Jesus, tracing through post-flood generations. The inclusion of Cainan between Arphaxad and Shem follows the Septuagint tradition rather than the Hebrew text, reflecting Luke's use of Greek sources for his Gentile audience. Sem (Shem) and Noe (Noah) represent the pivotal transition from the pre-flood to post-flood world. Luke emphasizes Jesus' connection to Noah, the second Adam figure through whom God preserved humanity, reinforcing themes of new creation and salvation. Lamech, Noah's father, bridges the genealogy back to the earliest generations of Genesis. His inclusion maintains the unbroken chain from Jesus to Adam, supporting Luke's theological purpose of presenting Jesus as the Savior of all humanity.