Luke 2:22–52

^22aAnd when the days for their cleansing according to the Law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the ¹Lord

²³(as it is written in the Law of the ¹Lord, “^aEvery firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the ²Lord”),

²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the ¹Lord, “^aA pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was ^arighteous and devout, ^bwaiting for the ^1ccomfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

²⁶And ^ait had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not ^bsee death before he had seen the ¹Lord’s ²Christ.

²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus ^1ato carry out for Him the custom of the Law,

²⁸then he took Him into his arms and blessed God, and said,

²⁹“Now Master, You are releasing Your slave in peace,

^aAccording to Your word.

³⁰For my eyes have ^aseen Your salvation,

³¹Which You prepared in the presence of all peoples,

^32aA Light for revelation to the Gentiles,

And for the glory of Your people Israel.”

³³And His father and ^amother were marveling at the things which were being said about Him.

³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary ^aHis mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for ^bthe fall and ¹rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—

³⁵and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well—that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

³⁶And there was a ^aprophetess, ¹Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of ^bthe tribe of Asher. She was advanced in ²years ^chaving lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,

³⁷and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with ^afastings and prayers.

³⁸And at that very ¹moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were ^awaiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹And when they had finished everything according to the Law of the ¹Lord, they returned to Galilee, to ^atheir own city of Nazareth.

^40aNow the Child continued to grow and become strong, being filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹And His parents would go to Jerusalem every year at ^athe Feast of the Passover.

⁴²And when He became twelve years old, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast;

⁴³and as they were returning, after finishing the ^adays of the Feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents did not know.

⁴⁴But supposing Him to be in the caravan, they went a day’s journey, and they began searching for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.

⁴⁵When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem searching for Him.

⁴⁶And it happened that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

⁴⁷And all who heard Him ^awere astounded at His understanding and His answers.

⁴⁸When they saw Him, they were astonished, and ^aHis mother said to Him, “Child, why have You treated us this way? Behold, ^bYour father and I ¹have been anxiously searching for You.”

⁴⁹And He said to them, “Why is it that you were searching for Me? Did you not know that ^aI had to be in My Father’s ¹house?”

⁵⁰But ^athey did not understand the statement which He had spoken to them.

⁵¹And He went down with them and came to ^aNazareth, and He continued in subjection to them, and ^bHis mother ^cwas treasuring all these ¹things in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus was advancing in wisdom and ¹stature, and in ^afavor with God and men.