Luke 2
2
Jesus Is Born
1Around this time Caesar Augustus made a law that required everyone in the whole Roman world to register for taxation and military service. 2This was the first time a registration was required, and it happened while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3Everyone had to go to their own hometown to register.
4Because Joseph was from the family line of David, he went from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea so he could register there in Bethlehem, the town of David. 5He went with Mary, who was engaged to him and who was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. 7Mary gave birth to her first child, a boy, and wrapped him in wide strips of cloth. She had to place him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them to stay in.
8There were shepherds out in the fields nearby, taking care of their sheep that night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terrified, 10but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I’ve brought you good news that will give great joy to all people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born for you! He is the Messiah, the Lord. 12Here is how you can recognize him: You’ll find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a large group of angels from heaven appeared with the first one, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest heaven!
Peace on earth to all those he wants to bless!”
15The angels left and went back to heaven. Then the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When the shepherds saw him, they told everyone what the angel had said about this child. 18All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary kept all these things in mind and thought deeply about them. 20The shepherds returned, giving glory and praise to God, because everything they’d seen and heard was just as they’d been told.
21When the child was eight days old, he was circumcised. Then they named him Jesus, which was the name the angel had given him before his mother became pregnant.
Joseph and Mary Take Jesus to the Temple
22The time came for the purification rituals required by the Law of Moses. So Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem, and there they presented him to the Lord. 23They did this to obey the Law of the Lord, which says, “The first boy born in every family must be set apart for the Lord.” 24They also offered a sacrifice as described in the Law, “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
25A good and godly man named Simeon lived there in Jerusalem. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to come true, and the Holy Spirit was with him. 26The Spirit had shown Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the temple courtyard, and he was there when Jesus’ parents brought him in to do for him what the Law required. 28Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying,
29“Lord, King over all, you have kept your promise
and you may now let me, your servant, go in peace,
30because I have seen your salvation with my own eyes.
31You have prepared it in the sight of all nations
32as a light to shine on the Gentiles
and as glory for your people Israel.”
33The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them. He said to Mary, Jesus’ mother, “God has sent this child to cause many people in Israel to fall and to rise. Many will speak against him, 35and the thoughts of many hearts will be made known. A sword will wound your own soul as well.”
36A prophet named Anna was also there. She was the daughter of Penuel, who came from the tribe of Asher. Anna was very old. After getting married, she had lived with her husband for seven years, 37and after he died she had lived as a widow until she was 84. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, praying and going without food. 38Anna came up to Jesus’ family at that moment. She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the time when Jerusalem would be set free.
39Joseph and Mary did everything that the Law of the Lord required, and then they returned to their own town of Nazareth in Galilee. 40There the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom and blessed by God’s grace.
The Boy Jesus at the Temple
41Every year Jesus’ parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. 42When Jesus was 12 years old, they went up to the feast as usual. 43After the feast was over, they left to go back home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they didn’t realize this; 44they thought he was traveling with others in their group. So they went on for a day. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends, 45and when they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple courtyard. He was sitting with the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was astonished by how much he understood and the answers he gave. 48When his parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried about you. We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
49“Why were you looking for me?” he replied. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50But they didn’t understand what he meant by that.
51Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. 52Jesus became wiser and stronger, and he pleased both God and all the people more and more.
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