Luke 2:1-52
2 Now in those days a decree+ went forth from Caesar* Au·gusʹtus for all the inhabited earth* to be registered;
2 (this first registration took place when Qui·rinʹi·us was governor of Syria;)
3 and all people went traveling to be registered,+ each one to his own city.
4 Of course, Joseph also went up from Galʹi·lee, out of the city of Nazʹa·reth, into Ju·deʹa, to David’s city, which is called Bethʹle·hem,+ because of his being a member of the house and family of David,+
5 to get registered with Mary,+ who had been given him in marriage as promised,+ at present heavy with child.+
6 While they were there, the days came to the full for her to give birth.
7 And she gave birth to her son, the firstborn,+ and she bound him with cloth bands and laid him in a manger,+ because there was no place for them in the lodging room.*
8 There were also in that same country shepherds living out of doors* and keeping watches in the night over their flocks.
9 And suddenly Jehovah’s* angel+ stood by them, and Jehovah’s* glory+ gleamed around them, and they became very fearful.
10 But the angel said to them: “Have no fear, for, look! I am declaring to YOU good news of a great joy that all the people will have,+
11 because there was born to YOU today a Savior,+ who is* Christ [the] Lord,*+ in David’s city.+
12 And this is a sign for YOU: YOU will find an infant bound in cloth bands and lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there came to be with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army,*+ praising God+ and saying:
14 “Glory in the heights+ above to God, and upon earth peace+ among men of goodwill.”*+
15 So when the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another: “Let us by all means go clear to Bethʹle·hem and see this thing that has taken place, which Jehovah*+ has made known to us.”
16 And they went with haste and found Mary as well as Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.
17 When they saw it, they made known the saying that had been spoken to them concerning this young child.
18 And all that heard marveled over the things told them by the shepherds,
19 but Mary began to preserve all these sayings, drawing conclusions in her heart.+
20 Then the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all the things they heard and saw, just as these had been told them.
21 Now when eight days+ came to the full for circumcising+ him, his name was also called Jesus,*+ the name called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.+
22 Also, when the days for purifying+ them according to the law of Moses came to the full, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to Jehovah,*
23 just as it is written in Jehovah’s* law: “Every male opening a womb must be called holy to Jehovah,”*+
24 and to offer sacrifice according to what is said in the law of Jehovah:* “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”+
25 And, look! there was a man in Jerusalem named Simʹe·on, and this man was righteous and reverent, waiting for Israel’s consolation,+ and holy spirit was upon him.
26 Furthermore, it had been divinely revealed to him by the holy spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Christ+ of Jehovah.*
27 Under the power of the spirit+ he now came into the temple; and as the parents brought the young child Jesus in to do for it according to the customary practice of the law,+
28 he himself received it into his arms and blessed God and said:
29 “Now, Sovereign Lord,* you are letting your slave go free in peace+ according to your declaration;
30 because my eyes have seen your means of saving+
31 that you have made ready in the sight of all the peoples,+
32 a light+ for removing the veil+ from the nations*+ and a glory of your people Israel.”
33 And its father and mother continued wondering at the things being spoken about it.
34 Also, Simʹe·on blessed them, but said to Mary its mother: “Look! This one is laid for the fall+ and the rising again* of many in Israel+ and for a sign to be talked against+
35 (yes, a long sword will be run through the soul* of you yourself),+ in order that the reasonings of many hearts may be uncovered.”+
36 Now there was Anna a prophetess, Phanʹu·el’s daughter, of Ashʹer’s tribe (this woman was well along in years, and had lived with a husband for seven years from her virginity,
37 and she was a widow+ now eighty-four years old), who was never missing from the temple, rendering sacred service* night and day+ with fastings and supplications.
38 And in that very hour she came near and began returning thanks to God* and speaking about [the child]* to all those waiting for Jerusalem’s deliverance.+
39 So when they had carried out all the things according to the law+ of Jehovah,* they went back into Galʹi·lee to their own city Nazʹa·reth.+
40 And the young child continued growing and getting strong,+ being filled with wisdom, and God’s favor+ continued upon him.
41 Now his parents were accustomed to go from year to year to Jerusalem+ for the festival of the passover.
42 And when he became twelve years old, they went up according to the custom+ of the festival
43 and completed the days. But when they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not notice it.
44 Assuming that he was in the company traveling together, they covered a day’s distance+ and then began to hunt him up among the relatives and acquaintances.
45 But, not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem, making a diligent search for him.
46 Well, after three days they found him in the temple,+ sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and questioning them.
47 But all those listening to him were in constant amazement at his understanding and his answers.+
48 Now when they saw him they were astounded, and his mother said to him: “Child, why did you treat us this way? Here your father and I in mental distress have been looking for you.”
49 But he said to them: “Why did YOU have to go looking for me? Did YOU not know that I must be in the [house] of my Father?”+
50 However, they did not grasp the saying that he spoke to them.+
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazʹa·reth, and he continued subject+ to them. Also, his mother carefully kept all these sayings* in her heart.+
52 And Jesus went on progressing in wisdom+ and in physical growth and in favor with God and men.+
Footnotes
^ Or, “Emperor.” Lat., Caeʹsa·re.
^ Lit., “the inhabited.” Gr., ten oi·kou·meʹnen, fem. sing., referring to the earth.
^ Or, “dwelling in the fields.”
^ See App 1D.
^ See App 1D.
^ Or, “is to be.”
^ “Christ [the] Lord.” Gr., Khri·stosʹ kyʹri·os. This expression might be a Gr. rendering of the Heb. ma·shiʹach Yeho·wahʹ, “Jehovah’s Christ,” as in J5-8,10. See 2:26.
^ Or, “host.” Lat., mi·liʹti·ae.
^ Or, “men whom he approves.” Gr., an·throʹpois eu·do·kiʹas.
^ See App 1D.
^ See App 1D.
^ See App 1D.
^ See App 1D.
^ See App 1D.
^ See App 1D.
^ “Sovereign Lord,” אAB; Gr., deʹspo·ta; J7,8,10,13,16,17,22(Heb.), ʼAdho·naiʹ; J9,18, “Jehovah.”
^ Or, “a light of the nations for a revelation.”
^ Or, “life.” Gr., psy·khenʹ. See App 4A.
^ “God,” אB; AVgSyp,s, “the Lord”; J5,7-17, “Jehovah.”
^ Lit., “about it.”
^ See App 1D.
