Luke 2–3

Christ is Born

2And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ^2aThis census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

⁴Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to ^bthe city of David, which is called Bethlehem, ^cbecause he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵to be registered with Mary, ^dhis betrothed ¹wife, who was with child. ⁶So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷And ^eshe brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a ²manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Angels Announce Jesus to the Shepherds

⁸Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And ³behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, ^fand they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰Then the angel said to them, ^g“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy ^hwhich will be to all people. ¹¹ⁱFor there is born to you this day in the city of David ^ja Savior, ^kwho is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a ⁴manger.”

^13lAnd suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁴“Glory ^mto God in the highest,

And on earth ⁿpeace, ^ogoodwill ⁵toward men!”

The Shepherds Visit Jesus

¹⁵So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷Now when they had seen Him, they made ⁶widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ^19pBut Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and ^qpraising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Christ is Circumcised

^21rAnd when eight days were completed ⁷for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called ^sJesus, the name given by the angel ^tbefore He was conceived in the womb.

²²Now when ^uthe days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ^23v(as it is written in the law of the Lord, ^w“Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, ^x“A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Simeon’s Prophecy

²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, ^ywaiting for 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 ^zsee death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷So he came ^aby the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹“Lord, ^bnow You are letting Your servant depart in peace,

According to Your word;

³⁰For my eyes ^chave seen Your salvation

³¹Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

^32dA light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.”

³³⁸And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. ³⁴Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the ^efall and rising of many in Israel, and for ^fa sign which will be spoken against ³⁵(yes, ^ga sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Anna’s Testimony

³⁶Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of ^hAsher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; ³⁷and this woman was a widow ⁹of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers ⁱnight and day. ³⁸And coming in that instant she gave thanks to ¹the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who ^jlooked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Jesus Returns to Nazareth

Matt. 2:19–23

³⁹So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. ^40kAnd the Child grew and became strong ²in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

Jesus Celebrates the Passover

⁴¹His parents went to ^lJerusalem ^mevery year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴²And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the ⁿcustom of the feast. ⁴³When they had finished the ^odays, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And ³Joseph and His mother did not know it; ⁴⁴but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. ⁴⁶Now so it was 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 ^pall who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. ⁴⁸So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”

⁴⁹And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be ^qabout ^rMy Father’s business?” ⁵⁰But ^sthey did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

Jesus Grows in Wisdom

⁵¹Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was ⁴subject to them, but His mother ^tkept all these things in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus ^uincreased in wisdom and stature, ^vand in favor with God and men.

The Ministry of John the Baptist

Matt. 3:1–12; Mark 1:2–8; John 1:19–31

3Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, ^aPontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, ²¹while ^bAnnas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to ^cJohn the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. ^3dAnd he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance ^efor the remission of sins, ⁴as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:

^f“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.

⁵Every valley shall be filled

And every mountain and hill brought low;

The crooked places shall be made straight

And the rough ways smooth;

⁶And ^gall flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

⁷Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, ^h“Brood ²of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Therefore bear fruits ⁱworthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ⁹And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore ^jevery tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰So the people asked him, saying, ^k“What shall we do then?”

¹¹He answered and said to them, ^l“He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, ^mlet him do likewise.”

¹²Then ⁿtax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

¹³And he said to them, ^o“Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

¹⁴Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

So he said to them, “Do not ³intimidate anyone ^por accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

¹⁵Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, ¹⁶John answered, saying to all, ^q“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will ^rbaptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and ^sgather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

¹⁸And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. ^19tBut Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his ⁴brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, ²⁰also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

The Baptism of Christ

Matt. 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; John 1:32–34

²¹When all the people were baptized, ^uit came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. ²²And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am ^vwell pleased.”

The Genealogy of Christ Through Mary

Gen. 5:1–32; 11:10–26; Ruth 4:18–22; 1 Chr. 1:1–4, 24–27, 34; 2:1–15; Matt. 1:2–6

²³Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at ^wabout thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) ^xthe son of Joseph, the son of Heli, ²⁴the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, ²⁵the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, ²⁶the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, ²⁷the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of ^yZerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, ²⁸the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, ²⁹the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, ³⁰the son of Simeon, the son…