Luke 2:4–52

⁴Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because ^ahe was of the house and family of David,

⁵in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

⁶While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.

⁷And she ^agave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a ¹manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

⁹And ^aan angel of the Lord suddenly ^bstood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

¹⁰But the angel said to them, “^aDo not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

¹¹for today in the city of David there has been born for you a ^aSavior, who is ^1bChrist ^cthe Lord.

¹²“^aThis will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a ¹manger.”

¹³And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴“^aGlory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men ^1bwith whom He is pleased.”

¹⁵When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”

¹⁶So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the ¹manger.

¹⁷When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.

¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary ^atreasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

²⁰The shepherds went back, ^aglorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Jesus Presented at the Temple

²¹And when ^aeight days had passed, ¹before His circumcision, ^bHis name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

^22aAnd when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

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

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

²⁵And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was ^arighteous and devout, ^blooking for the consolation 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 Lord’s ¹Christ.

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 Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,

^aAccording to Your word;

³⁰For my eyes have ^aseen Your salvation,

³¹Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

^32aA Light ¹of revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.”

³³And His father and ^amother were amazed 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 even your own soul—to the end that 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 ^cand had lived with her husband seven years after her ³marriage,

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

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

Return to Nazareth

³⁹When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to ^atheir own city of Nazareth.

^40aThe Child continued to grow and become strong, ¹increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

Visit to Jerusalem

⁴¹Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at ^athe Feast of the Passover.

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

⁴³and as they were returning, after spending the ^afull number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it,

⁴⁴but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.

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

⁴⁶Then, 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 amazed at His understanding and His answers.

⁴⁸When they saw Him, they were astonished; and ^aHis mother said to Him, “¹Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, ^bYour father and I ²have been anxiously looking for You.”

⁴⁹And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking 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 ¹had made to them.

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

⁵²And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and ¹stature, and in ^afavor with God and men.