Luke 2:1–52

¹Now in those days a decree went forth from Caesar Au‧gus′tus for all the inhabited earth to be registered;²(this first registration took place when Qui‧rin′i‧us was governor of Syria;)³and all people went traveling to be registered, each one to his own city.⁴Of course, Joseph also went up from Gal′i‧lee, out of the city of Naz′a‧reth, into Ju‧de′a, to David’s city, which is called Beth′le‧hem, because of his being a member of the house and family of David,⁵to get registered with Mary, who had been given him in marriage as promised, at present heavy with child.⁶While they were there, the days came to the full for her to give birth.⁷And 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.

⁸There were also in that same country shepherds living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks.⁹And suddenly Jehovah’s angel stood by them, and Jehovah’s glory gleamed around them, and they became very fearful.¹⁰But 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,¹¹because there was born to ​YOU​ today a Savior, who is Christ [the] Lord, in David’s city.¹²And this is a sign for ​YOU: ​YOU​ will find an infant bound in cloth bands and lying in a manger.”¹³And 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.”

¹⁵So when the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another: “Let us by all means go clear to Beth′le‧hem and see this thing that has taken place, which Jehovah has made known to us.”¹⁶And they went with haste and found Mary as well as Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.¹⁷When they saw it, they made known the saying that had been spoken to them concerning this young child.¹⁸And all that heard marveled over the things told them by the shepherds,¹⁹but Mary began to preserve all these sayings, drawing conclusions in her heart.²⁰Then the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all the things they heard and saw, just as these had been told them.

²¹Now 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.

²²Also, 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,²³just as it is written in Jehovah’s law: “Every male opening a womb must be called holy to Jehovah,”²⁴and to offer sacrifice according to what is said in the law of Jehovah: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵And, look! there was a man in Jerusalem named Sim′e‧on, and this man was righteous and reverent, waiting for Israel’s consolation, and holy spirit was upon him.²⁶Furthermore, 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.²⁷Under 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,²⁸he 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;³⁰because my eyes have seen your means of saving³¹that you have made ready in the sight of all the peoples,³²a light for removing the veil from the nations and a glory of your people Israel.”³³And its father and mother continued wondering at the things being spoken about it.³⁴Also, Sim′e‧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 against³⁵(yes, a long sword will be run through the soul of you yourself), in order that the reasonings of many hearts may be uncovered.”

³⁶Now there was Anna a prophetess, Phan′u‧el’s daughter, of Ash′er’s tribe (this woman was well along in years, and had lived with a husband for seven years from her virginity,³⁷and 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.³⁸And 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.

³⁹So when they had carried out all the things according to the law of Jehovah, they went back into Gal′i‧lee to their own city Naz′a‧reth.⁴⁰And the young child continued growing and getting strong, being filled with wisdom, and God’s favor continued upon him.

⁴¹Now his parents were accustomed to go from year to year to Jerusalem for the festival of the passover.⁴²And when he became twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival⁴³and completed the days. But when they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not notice it.⁴⁴Assuming 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.⁴⁵But, not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem, making a diligent search for him.⁴⁶Well, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and questioning them.⁴⁷But all those listening to him were in constant amazement at his understanding and his answers.⁴⁸Now 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.”⁴⁹But 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?”⁵⁰However, they did not grasp the saying that he spoke to them.

⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Naz′a‧reth, and he continued subject to them. Also, his mother carefully kept all these sayings in her heart.⁵²And Jesus went on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men.