Luke 2
2
Jesus Is Born
1At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census of the Roman Empire. 2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All the people went to register in the cities where their ancestors had lived.
4So Joseph went from Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a Judean city called Bethlehem. Joseph, a descendant of King David, went to Bethlehem because David had been born there. 5Joseph went there to register with Mary. She had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.
6While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her child. 7She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there wasn’t any room for them in the inn.
Angels Announce the Birth of Jesus
8Shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem. They were taking turns watching their flock during the night. 9An angel from the Lord suddenly appeared to them. The glory of the Lord filled the area with light, and they were terrified. 10The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with joy. 11Today your Savior, Christ the Lord, was born in David’s city. 12This is how you will recognize him: You will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly, a large army of angels appeared with the angel. They were praising God by saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those who have his good will!”
15The angels left them and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.”
16They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in a manger. 17When they saw the child, they repeated what they had been told about him. 18Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was amazed.
19Mary treasured all these things in her heart and always thought about them.
20As the shepherds returned to their flock, they glorified and praised God for everything they had seen and heard. Everything happened the way the angel had told them.
Jesus’ Parents Obey Moses’ Teachings
21Eight days after his birth, the child was circumcised and named Jesus. This was the name the angel had given him before his mother became pregnant.
22After the days required by Moses’ Teachings to make a mother clean #2:22 “Clean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is presentable to God. had passed, Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem. They took Jesus to present him to the Lord. 23They did exactly what was written in the Lord’s Teachings: “Every firstborn boy is to be set apart as holy to the Lord.” 24They also offered a sacrifice as required by the Lord’s Teachings: “a pair of mourning doves or two young pigeons.”
Simeon’s Prophecy
25A man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. He lived an honorable and devout life. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel. The Holy Spirit was with Simeon 26and had told him that he wouldn’t die until he had seen the Messiah, whom the Lord would send.
27Moved by the Spirit, Simeon went into the temple courtyard. Mary and Joseph were bringing the child Jesus into the courtyard at the same time. They brought him so that they could do for him what Moses’ Teachings required. 28Then Simeon took the child in his arms and praised God by saying,
29“Now, Lord, you are allowing your servant to leave in peace
as you promised.
30My eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared for all people to see.
32He is a light that will reveal ⌞salvation⌟ to the nations
and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is the reason that many people in Israel will be condemned and many others will be saved. He will be a sign that will expose 35the thoughts of those who reject him. And a sword will pierce your heart.”
Anna’s Prophecy
36Anna, a prophet, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was now very old. Her husband had died seven years after they were married, 37and she had been a widow for 84 years. Anna never left the temple courtyard but worshiped day and night by fasting and praying. 38At that moment she came up to Mary and Joseph and began to thank God. She spoke about Jesus to all who were waiting for Jerusalem to be set free.
39After doing everything the Lord’s Teachings required, Joseph and Mary returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. 40The child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor #2:40 Or “grace.” was with him.
Mary and Joseph Find Jesus with the Teachers in the Temple Courtyard
41Every year Jesus’ parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42When he was 12 years old, they went as usual.
43When the festival was over, they left for home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn’t know it. 44They thought that he was with the others who were traveling with them. After traveling for a day, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
46Three days later, they found him in the temple courtyard. He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions. 47His understanding and his answers stunned everyone who heard him.
48When his parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!”
49Jesus said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you realize that I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50But they didn’t understand what he meant.
51Then he returned with them to Nazareth and was obedient to them.
His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52Jesus grew in wisdom and maturity. He gained favor from God and people.
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Luke 2: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Luke 2
2
1And it came to pass in those days, there went forth a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world be enrolled —
2this enrolment first came to pass when Cyrenius was governor of Syria —
3and all were going to be enrolled, each to his proper city,
4and Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, that is called Bethlehem, because of his being of the house and family of David,
5to enrol himself with Mary his betrothed wife, being with child.
6And it came to pass, in their being there, the days were fulfilled for her bringing forth,
7and she brought forth her son — the first-born, and wrapped him up, and laid him down in the manger, because there was not for them a place in the guest-chamber.
8And there were shepherds in the same region, lodging in the field, and keeping the nightwatches over their flock,
9and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood over them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared a great fear.
10And the messenger said to them, ‘Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to all the people —
11because there was born to you to-day a Saviour — who is Christ the Lord — in the city of David,
12and this [is] to you the sign: Ye shall find a babe wrapped up, lying in the manger.’
13And suddenly there came with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying,
14‘Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among men — good will.’
15And it came to pass, when the messengers were gone away from them to the heavens, that the men, the shepherds, said unto one another, ‘We may go over indeed unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that hath come to pass, that the Lord did make known to us.’
16And they came, having hasted, and found both Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger,
17and having seen, they made known abroad concerning the saying spoken to them concerning the child.
18And all who heard, did wonder concerning the things spoken by the shepherds unto them;
19and Mary was preserving all these things, pondering in her heart;
20and the shepherds turned back, glorifying and praising God, for all those things they heard and saw, as it was spoken unto them.
21And when eight days were fulfilled to circumcise the child, then was his name called Jesus, having been so called by the messenger before his being conceived in the womb.
22And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present to the Lord,
23as it hath been written in the Law of the Lord, — ‘Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord,’
24and to give a sacrifice, according to that said in the Law of the Lord, ‘A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.’
25And lo, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [is] Simeon, and this man is righteous and devout, looking for the comforting of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him,
26and it hath been divinely told him by the Holy Spirit — not to see death before he may see the Christ of the Lord.
27And he came in the Spirit to the temple, and in the parents bringing in the child Jesus, for their doing according to the custom of the law regarding him,
28then he took him in his arms, and blessed God, and he said,
29‘Now Thou dost send away Thy servant, Lord, according to Thy word, in peace,
30because mine eyes did see Thy salvation,
31which Thou didst prepare before the face of all the peoples,
32a light to the uncovering of nations, and the glory of Thy people Israel.’
33And Joseph and his mother were wondering at the things spoken concerning him,
34and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, ‘Lo, this [one] is set for the falling and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against —
35(and also thine own soul shall a sword pass through) — that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed.’
36And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, she was much advanced in days, having lived with an husband seven years from her virginity,
37and she [is] a widow of about eighty-four years, who did depart not from the temple, with fasts and supplications serving, night and day,
38and she, at that hour, having come in, was confessing, likewise, to the Lord, and was speaking concerning him, to all those looking for redemption in Jerusalem.
39And when they finished all things, according to the Law of the Lord, they turned back to Galilee, to their city Nazareth;
40and the child grew and was strengthened in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
41And his parents were going yearly to Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover,
42and when he became twelve years old, they having gone up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast,
43and having finished the days, in their returning the child Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother did not know,
44and, having supposed him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and were seeking him among the kindred and among the acquaintances,
45and not having found him, they turned back to Jerusalem seeking him.
46And it came to pass, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them,
47and all those hearing him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48And, having seen him, they were amazed, and his mother said unto him, ‘Child, why didst thou thus to us? lo, thy father and I, sorrowing, were seeking thee.’
49And he said unto them, ‘Why [is it] that ye were seeking me? did ye not know that in the things of my Father it behoveth me to be?’
50and they did not understand the saying that he spake to them,
51and he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them, and his mother was keeping all these sayings in her heart,
52and Jesus was advancing in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour with God and men.
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