Luke 2
2
The Birth of Jesus
(Matthew 1.18-25)
1About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books.#2.1 names … listed in record books: This was done so that everyone could be made to pay taxes to the Emperor. 2These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.#2.2 Quirinius was governor of Syria: It is known that Quirinius made a record of the people in a.d. 6 or 7. But the exact date of the record taking that Luke mentions is not known.
3Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. 4So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family.
5Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, 6and while they were there, 7she gave birth to her first-born#2.7 first-born: The Jewish people said that the first-born son in each of their families belonged to the Lord. son. She dressed him in baby clothes#2.7 dressed him in baby clothes: The Greek text has “wrapped him in wide strips of cloth,” which was how young babies were dressed. and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds
8That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. 9#Tb 5.4. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. 10But the angel said, “Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. 11This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. 12You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”
13Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:
14“Praise God in heaven!
Peace on earth to everyone
who pleases God.”
15After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” 16They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.
17When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. 18Everyone listened and was surprised. 19But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant.
20As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.
21 #
Lv 12.3;
Lk 1.31. Eight days later Jesus' parents did for him what the Law of Moses commands.#2.21 what the Law of Moses commands: See the note at 1.59. And they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told Mary when he promised she would have a baby.
Simeon Praises the Lord
22 #
Lv 12.6-8. The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born.#2.22 after her baby is born: After a Jewish mother gave birth to a son, she was considered “unclean” and had to stay home until he was circumcised (see the note at 1.59). Then she had to stay home for another 33 days, before offering a sacrifice to the Lord.
They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, 23#Ex 13.2,12. just as the Law of the Lord says, “Each first-born#2.23 first-born: See the note at 2.7. baby boy belongs to the Lord.” 24The Law of the Lord also says parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did.
25At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for him to save the people of Israel. God's Spirit came to him 26and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord.
27When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. 28Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God,
29“Lord, I am your servant,
and now I can die in peace,
because you have kept
your promise to me.
30With my own eyes I have seen
what you have done
to save your people,
31and foreign nations
will also see this.
32 #
Is 42.6; 49.6; 52.10. Your mighty power is a light
for all nations,
and it will bring honor
to your people Israel.”
33Jesus' parents were surprised at what Simeon had said. 34Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, 35and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”
Anna Speaks about the Child Jesus
36 #
Jdt 8.4,5. The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died. 37And now she was 84 years old.#2.37 And now she was 84 years old: Or “And now she had been a widow for 84 years.” Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating.#2.37 without eating: The Jewish people sometimes went without eating (also called “fasting”) to show their love for God or to show sorrow for their sins.
38At this time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free.
The Return to Nazareth
39 #
Mt 2.23. After Joseph and Mary had done everything that the Law of the Lord commands, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40The child Jesus grew. He became strong and wise, and God blessed him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 #
Ex 12.1-27; Dt 16.1-8. Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for Passover. 42And when Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration. 43After Passover his parents left, but they did not know that Jesus had stayed on in the city. 44They thought he was traveling with some other people, and they went a whole day before they started looking for him. 45When they could not find him with their relatives and friends, they went back to Jerusalem and started looking for him there.
46Three days later they found Jesus sitting in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was surprised at how much he knew and at the answers he gave.
48When his parents found him, they were amazed. His mother said, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried, and we have been searching for you!”
49Jesus answered, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I would be in my Father's house?”#2.49 in my Father's house: Or “doing my Father's work.” 50But they did not understand what he meant.
51Jesus went back to Nazareth with his parents and obeyed them. His mother kept on thinking about all that had happened.
52 #
1 S 2.26; Pr 3.4. Jesus became wise, and he grew strong. God was pleased with him and so were the people.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Luke 2
2
Yeshua’s Birth in Bethlehem
1Now it happened in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the world’s inhabitants.
2This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3Everyone was traveling to be registered in his own city.
4Now Joseph also went up from the Galilee, out of the town of Natzeret to Judah, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David.
5He went to register with Miriam, who was engaged to him and was pregnant.
6But while they were there, the time came for her to give birth—
7and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped Him in strips of cloth and set Him down in a manger, since there was no room for them in the inn.
Shepherds Witness Angelic Praises
8Now there were shepherds in the same region, living out in the fields and guarding their flock at night.
9Suddenly an angel of Adonai stood before them, and the glory of Adonai shone all around them; and they were absolutely terrified.
10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I proclaim Good News to you, which will be great joy to all the people.
11A Savior is born to you today in the city of David, who is Messiah the Lord.
12And the sign to you is this: You will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
13And suddenly a multitude of heavenly armies appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth shalom to men of good will.”
15And when the angels departed from them into the heavens, the shepherds were saying to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which Adonai has made known to us!”
16So they hurried off and found Miriam and Joseph, and the Baby lying in the manger.
17When they had seen this, they made known the word that had been spoken to them concerning this Child.
18And all those who heard were amazed at the things the shepherds told them.
19But Miriam treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.
Temple Prophets Rejoice
21When eight days had passed for His brit-milah, He was named Yeshua, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
22And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, according to the Torah of Moses, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present to Adonai.
23As it is written in the Torah of Adonai, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to Adonai.”
24So they offered a sacrifice according to what was said in the Torah of Adonai: “a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.”
25Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and pious, waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Ruach ha-Kodesh was on him.
26And it had been revealed to him by the Ruach ha-Kodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Anointed One of Adonai.
27So in the Ruach, Simeon came into the Temple; and when the parents brought the Child Yeshua to do for Him according to the custom of the Torah,
28Simeon received Him into his arms and offered a bracha to God, saying,
29“Now may You let Your servant go in peace, O Sovereign Master, according to Your word.
30For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
32‘A light for revelation to the nations’ and the glory of Your people Israel.”
33And His father and mother were marveling at the things that were said about Him.
34And Simeon offered a bracha over them and said to Miriam His mother, “Behold, this One is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that is opposed,
35so the thoughts of many hearts may be uncovered. (And even for you, a sword will pierce through your soul.)”
36Now Anna, a daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, was a prophetess. She was well advanced in age, having lived with a husband only seven years
37and then as a widow until age eighty-four. She never left the Temple, serving night and day with fasting and prayers.
38And coming up at that very instant, she began praising God and speaking about the Child to all those waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39When Joseph and Miriam had completed everything according to the Torah of Adonai, they returned to the Galilee, to their own city of Natzeret.
40The Child kept growing and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.
The Boy Astonishes Jerusalem Scholars
41Now His parents were going every year to Jerusalem for the Passover feast.
42When He became twelve years old, they were going up according to festival custom.
43As they headed home after completing the days, the boy Yeshua remained in Jerusalem, but His parents didn’t know.
44Supposing He was in the caravan, they went a day’s journey, then began looking for Him among relatives and friends.
45When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him.
46After three days they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the center of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47And all those hearing Him were astonished at His understanding and His answers.
48When His parents saw Yeshua, they were overwhelmed. And His mother said to Him, “Child, why did you do this to us? Look! Your father and I were searching for You frantically!”
49He said to them, “Why were you searching for Me? Didn’t you know that I must be about the things of My Father?”
50But they did not grasp the message He was telling them.
51Then He went down with them to Natzeret and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured all these words in her heart.
52And Yeshua kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
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