Luke 2
2
The Birth of Jesus
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus # Emperor who ruled the Roman Empire 27 b.c.–a.d. 14; also known as Octavian, he established the peaceful era known as the Pax Romana ; Caesar was a title of Roman emperors. # Mt 22:17; Lk 3:1 that the whole empire # Or the whole inhabited world should be registered. 2This first registration took place while # Or This registration was the first while, or This registration was before Quirinius was governing Syria. # Mt 4:24 3So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.
4And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth # Mt 2:23; 4:13; 21:11; Jn 1:45 in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, # Gn 35:19; 48:7; Jos 19:15; Jdg 12:10; 17:7-9; Rt 1:1; 1Sm 16:1; Mc 5:2 because he was of the house and family line of David, # Lk 1:27 5to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him # Other mss read was his engaged wife and was pregnant. 6While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough — because there was no room for them at the lodging place.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9Then an angel of the Lord # Mt 1:20; 2:13,19; 28:2; Lk 1:11; Ac 5:19; 8:26; 12:7; 12:23 stood before # Or Lord appeared to them, # Lk 24:4; Ac 12:7 and the glory of the Lord # Ex 24:16; 40:34-35; Lv 9:6,23; Nm 20:6; 1Kg 8:11; Is 35:2; 40:5; 60:1 shone around them, and they were terrified. # Lit they feared a great fear 10But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, # Mt 14:27 for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: # Or the whole nation 11Today a Savior, # Mt 1:21; Jn 4:42; Ac 5:31 who is Messiah # Mt 1:16; 16:16,20; Jn 11:27 the Lord, # Lk 1:43; Ac 2:36; 10:36 was born for you in the city of David. 12This will be the sign for you: # 1Sm 2:34; 2Kg 19:29; 20:8-9; Is 7:11,14 You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”
13Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
14Glory to God in the highest heaven, # Mt 21:9; Lk 19:38
and peace on earth # Lk 12:51 to people He favors! # Other mss read earth good will to people # Or earth to men of good will # Lk 3:22; Eph 1:9; Php 2:13
15When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. 17After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed # Lk 1:63; 2:33; 4:22; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14,38; 20:26; 24:12,41 at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary was treasuring up all these things # Lit these words in her heart # Lk 2:51 and meditating on them. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God # Mt 9:8 for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.
The Circumcision and Presentation of Jesus
21When the eight days were completed for His circumcision, # Lk 1:59 He was named Jesus # Lk 1:31 — the name given by the angel before He was conceived. # Or conceived in the womb 22And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, # Lv 12:6-8 they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23(just as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male # Lit “Every male that opens a womb will be dedicated # Lit be called holy to the Lord # Ex 11:5; 12:12,29; 13:2,12; 34:19; Dt 15:19 # Ex 13:2,12) 24and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons # Lv 5:11; 12:8 # Lv 5:11; 12:8).
Simeon’s Prophetic Praise
25There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, # Lk 1:6 looking forward to Israel’s consolation, # The coming of the Messiah with His salvation for the nation; Is 40:1; 61:2; Lk 2:26,30 # Ps 135:14; Is 40:1-2,11; 49:10,13; 51:3,12; 57:18; 61:2; 66:13; Jr 31:9; Mk 15:43; Lk 2:38; 23:51 and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit # Mt 2:12 that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. # Ps 89:48; Jn 8:51; Heb 11:5 27Guided by the Spirit, he entered # Lit And in the Spirit, he came into the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, 28Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said:
29Now, Master,
You can dismiss Your slave in peace,
as You promised.
30For my eyes have seen Your salvation. # Ps 119:166,174; Is 52:10; Lk 3:6
31You have prepared it
in the presence of all peoples —
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles # Or the nations # Is 42:6; 49:6,9; Ac 13:47; 26:23
and glory to Your people Israel. # Is 46:13 LXX
33His father and mother # Other mss read But Joseph and His mother were amazed at what was being said about Him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and told His mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel # Mt 21:44; 1Co 1:23; 2Co 2:16; 1Pt 2:8 and to be a sign that will be opposed # Or spoken against — 35and a sword will pierce your own soul — that the thoughts # Or schemes of many hearts may be revealed.”
Anna’s Testimony
36There was also a prophetess, # Lk 2:38; Ac 21:9 Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. # Jos 19:24 She was well along in years, # Lit in many days having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, # Lit years from her virginity # 1Tm 5:9 37and was a widow for 84 years. # Or she was a widow until the age of 84 She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. # Lk 5:33; Ac 13:3; 14:23; 1Tm 5:5 38At that very moment, # Lit very hour she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. # Other mss read in Jerusalem # Is 52:9; Lk 1:68; 2:25
The Family’s Return to Nazareth
39When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. # Mt 2:23; Lk 1:26; 2:51; 4:16 40The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on Him. # Lk 1:80; 2:52
In His Father’s House
41Every year His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. # Ex 12:11; 23:15; Dt 16:1-6 42When He was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. # Dt 16:16-17 43After those days were over, # Ex 12:15 as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents # Other mss read but Joseph and His mother did not know it. 44Assuming He was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for Him among their 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 complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers. 48When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him, # Mt 12:46 “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.” # Lk 2:49; 3:23; 4:22
49“Why were you searching for Me? ” He asked them. “Didn’t you know that I had to be in My Father’s house? ” # Or be involved in My Father’s interests (or things), or be among My Father’s people 50But they did not understand what He said to them. # Mk 9:32; Lk 9:45; 18:34
In Favor with God and with People
51Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart. # Lk 2:19 52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people. # Lk 2:40
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Luke 2
2
The Birth of Jesus
(Mt 1.18–25)
1At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. 3Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own town.
4Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. 5He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, 6and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. 7She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger — there was no room for them to stay in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, 10but the angel said to them, “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. 11This very day in David's town your Saviour was born — Christ the Lord! 12And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:
14“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”
15When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger. 17When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child. 18All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said. 19Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them. 20The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.
Jesus is Named
21 #
Lev 12.3; Lk 1.31 A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Jesus is Presented in the Temple
22 #
Lev 12.6–8
The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23#Ex 13.2, 12as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male is to be dedicated to the Lord.” 24They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.
25At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him 26and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's promised Messiah. 27Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required, 28Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:
29“Now, Lord, you have kept your promise,
and you may let your servant go in peace.
30With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
32 #
Is 42.6; 49.6; 52.10 A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles
and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33The child's father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him. 34Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against 35and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.”
36-37There was a very old prophet, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now 84 years old.#2.36–37 was now 84 years old; or had been a widow 84 years. She never left the Temple; day and night she worshipped God, fasting and praying. 38That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.
The Return to Nazareth
39 #
Mt 2.23
When Joseph and Mary had finished doing all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their home town of Nazareth in Galilee. 40The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God's blessings were upon him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 #
Ex 12.1–27; Deut 16.1–8 Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual. 43When the festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know this; 44they thought that he was with the group, so they travelled a whole day and then started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45They did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him. 46On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47All who heard him were amazed at his intelligent answers. 48His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “My son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you.”
49He answered them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?” 50But they did not understand his answer.
51So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52#1 Sam 2.26; Prov 3.4Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favour with God and people.
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.