Luke 2:21–40

²¹And when eight days were completed so that he could be circumcised,^e he was named Jesus, his name that he was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple

²²And when the days of their purification were completed according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him^* to the Lord ²³(just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb will be called holy to the Lord”)^{f 24}and to offer a sacrifice according to what was stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”^g

The Prophecy of Simeon

²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was^h Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he would see the Lord’s Christ.^{i 27}And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus so that they could do for him according to what was customary under the law, ²⁸he took him in his^j arms and praised God and said,

²⁹“Now dismiss your slave in peace, Lord,

according to your word.

³⁰For my eyes have seen your salvation

³¹that you have prepared in the presence of all the peoples,

³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and glory to your people Israel.”

³³And his father and mother were astonished at what was said about him. ³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed^k—³⁵and a sword will pierce your own soul also, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed!”

The Testimony of Anna

³⁶And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher (she was advanced in years,^l having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,^{m 37}and herself as a widow up to eighty-four years)ⁿ who did not depart from the temple with fastings and prayers, serving night and day. ³⁸And at that same hour she approached and^* began to give thanks^o to God, and to speak about him to all those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹And when they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰And the child was growing and becoming strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.