Luke 2:41–52

Jesus in the Temple at Twelve Years Old

⁴¹And his parents went every year to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. ⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the feast. ⁴³And after^* the days were completed, while they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. And his parents did not know it,^{* 44}but believing him to be in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. And they began searching for^* him among their^p relatives and their^q acquaintances, ⁴⁵and when they^* did not find him,^* they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. ⁴⁶And it happened that after three days they found him in the temple courts,^* sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all who heard him were amazed at his insight and his^* answers. ⁴⁸And when they^* saw him, they were astounded and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have been searching for you anxiously!” ⁴⁹And he said to them, “Why^r were you searching for me? Did you not know that it was necessary for me to be in the house^s of my Father?” ⁵⁰And they did not understand the statement that he spoke to them. ⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was submitting to them. And his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus was advancing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with people.