2

Christ Born of Mary

¹And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²⚓This 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 ⚓the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, ⚓because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵to be registered with Mary, ⚓his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷And ⚓she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

⁸Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, ⚓and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰Then the angel said to them, ⚓“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy ⚓which will be to all people. ¹¹⚓For there is born to you this day in the city of David ⚓a Savior, ⚓who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³⚓And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
¹⁴“Glory⚓ to God in the highest,
And on earth ⚓peace, ⚓goodwill toward men!”
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 widely 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. ¹⁹⚓But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and ⚓praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Circumcision of Jesus

²¹⚓And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called ⚓Jesus, the name given by the angel ⚓before He was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²²Now when ⚓the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³⚓(as it is written in the law of the Lord, ⚓“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, ⚓“A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Simeon Sees God’s Salvation

²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, ⚓waiting 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 ⚓see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷So he came ⚓by 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, ⚓now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
³⁰For my eyes ⚓have seen Your salvation
³¹Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³²⚓A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
³³And 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 ⚓fall and rising of many in Israel, and for ⚓a sign which will be spoken against ³⁵(yes, ⚓a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Anna Bears Witness to the Redeemer

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

The Family Returns to Nazareth

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

The Boy Jesus Amazes the Scholars

⁴¹His parents went to ⚓Jerusalem ⚓every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴²And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the ⚓custom of the feast. ⁴³When they had finished the ⚓days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph 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 ⚓all 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 ⚓about ⚓My Father’s business?” ⁵⁰But ⚓they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

Jesus Advances in Wisdom and Favor

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

2

Yug Yexus

¹Lub sijhawm ntawd Vajntxwv Aunkuxataus hais rau cov pejxeem uas nyob thoob plaws txhua lub tebchaws uas yog cov nomtswv Loos kav, kom sawvdaws tuaj sau npe. ²Thawj zaug uas muaj sau npe no, yog lub sijhawm uas Kuleni-us ua nom kav tebchaws Xilias. ³Txhua tus nyias txawm mus sau npe rau hauv nyias lub nroog.
⁴Yauxej tawm hauv lub nroog Naxales uas nyob pem Kalilais mus rau hauv lub nroog Npelehees uas nyob nram lub xeev Yudas uas thaum ub yug Vajntxwv Daviv. Yauxej mus rau hauv lub nroog ntawd, rau qhov nws yog Daviv xeebntxwv. ⁵Yauxej coj Malis tus uas nws twb qhaib lawm nrog nws mus sau npe thiab. Thaum ntawd Malis suab ib plab menyuam. ⁶Thaum nkawd tseem nyob hauv lub nroog Npelehees, twb txog caij uas Malis yug menyuam lawm. ⁷Malis yug nws tus metub hlob, nws muab khaubncaws qhwv tus menyuam thiab muab tso pw rau hauv ib lub dab zaub, rau qhov tej tsev so, neeg twb so puv tas lawm.

Cov Yug Yaj thiab Cov Timtswv Ceebtsheej

⁸Nyob thaj tsam ntawd muaj ib cov neeg yug yaj, lawv mus pw zov lawv cov yaj tom teb, thaum tsaus ntuj, ⁹tus Tswv ib tug timtswv los cuag lawv, thiab tus Tswv lub tshwjchim ci ntsa iab tuaj rau lawv, lawv poob siab thiab ntshai kawg li, ¹⁰tiamsis tus timtswv ntawd hais rau lawv hais tias, “Nej tsis txhob ntshai! Kuv los ntawm no yog coj txojmoo zoo uas yog txojkev zoo siab kawg nkaus rau txhua haivneeg los qhia rau nej paub. ¹¹Hnub no nej tus Cawmseej twb yug los rau hauv Daviv lub nroog lawm, nws yog Khetos uas yog tus Tswv! ¹²Nej yuav pom ib tug menyuam mos qhwv khaubncaws pw hauv lub dab zaub, qhov ntawd yog lub cim uas qhia hais tias, tus ntawd yog tus uas kuv hais.”
¹³Tamsim ntawd muaj ib pab timtswv ceebtsheej coob coob los nrog tus timtswv ntawd hu nkauj qhuas Vajtswv li no:
¹⁴“Thov kom Vajtswv tus uas nyob
saum ntuj ceebtsheej tau koob meej,
thiab thov kom cov neeg uas nyob hauv
ntiajteb txhua tus
uas ua haum Vajtswv siab tau zoo nyob
kaj siab lug!”
¹⁵Thaum cov timtswv ncaim lawv rov qab mus rau saum ntuj ceebtsheej lawm, cov yug yaj txawm sib tham hais tias, “Peb cia li mus rau hauv lub nroog Npelehees thiab mus saib tej uas tus Tswv qhia rau peb lawm.”
¹⁶Lawv ceev nrooj mus rau hauv lub nroog, lawv pom Malis thiab Yauxej, thiab pom tus menyuam pw hauv ib lub dab zaub. ¹⁷Thaum cov yug yaj pom tus menyuam lawm, lawv qhia zaj uas tus timtswv ceebtsheej qhia rau lawv hais txog tus menyuam ntawd rau Malis thiab Yauxej mloog. ¹⁸Txhua tus uas hnov zaj uas cov yug yaj hais ntawd, sawvdaws xav tsis thoob li. ¹⁹Malis khaws tej lus ntawd thiab xav ntsoov rau nruab siab. ²⁰Thaum cov yug yaj rov qab mus, lawv hu nkauj qhuas Vajtswv, rau qhov lawv hnov thiab pom raws li tus timtswv tau qhia rau lawv lawm.

Tis Yexus Lub Npe

²¹Thaum tus menyuam ntawd muaj yim hnub lawm, yog hnub uas muab nws ua kevcai txiav tawv raws li txoj kevcai txiav, thiab tis nws lub npe hu ua Yexus, raws li tus timtswv ceebtsheej qhia tseg rau Malis thaum tseem tsis tau xeeb tus metub ntawd.

Coj Yexus Mus Fij rau Vajtswv Hauv Lub Tuamtsev

²²Thaum txog lub sijhawm uas Yauxej thiab Malis mus ua kevcai ntxuav raws li Mauxes txoj Kevcai, nkawd txawm coj tus metub Yexus mus pem lub nroog Yeluxalees thiab muab nws fij rau Vajtswv. ²³Raws li muaj lus sau tseg rau hauv tus Tswv txoj kevcai lawm hais tias, “Yuav tsum muab txhua tus tub hlob fij rau tus Tswv.” ²⁴Thiab nkawd nqa ib nkawm nquab liabrwg lossis nquab nyeg mus fij raws li twb muaj lus sau tseg rau hauv tus Tswv txoj kevcai lawm.
²⁵Lub sijhawm ntawd muaj ib tug txivneej hu ua Xime-oos nyob hauv lub nroog Yeluxalees. Nws yog ib tug neeg ncaj ncees, nws hwm Vajtswv thiab niaj hnub tos lub sijhawm uas Vajtswv los cawm cov neeg Yixalayees. Vaj Ntsujplig tus Dawbhuv nrog nraim Xime-oos, ²⁶thiab qhia rau nws hais tias nws yuav tsis tuag ua ntej uas nws pom tus Mexiyas uas Vajtswv coglus tseg. ²⁷Hnub ntawd Vaj Ntsujplig coj Xime-oos mus rau hauv lub Tuamtsev. Thaum ntawd Yauxej thiab Malis coj nkawd tus metub Yexus tuaj ua kevcai hauv lub Tuamtsev raws li txoj kevcai qhia tseg, ²⁸Xime-oos muab tus metub los puag thiab ua Vajtswv tsaug hais tias,
²⁹“Tus Tswv, nimno koj twb ua
raws li koj coglus tseg lawm,
thov koj coj kuv uas yog koj tus tubtxib
mus kaj siab lug,
³⁰rau qhov kuv lub qhovmuag twb pom
koj txojkev cawm dim
³¹uas koj npaj rau txhua haivneeg lawm.
³²Nws yog lub teeb uas yuav ci mus rau
lwm haivneeg pom kev,
thiab yuav ua rau cov neeg Yixalayees
uas yog koj haivneeg tau ntsejmuag.”
³³Thaum Yexus niam thiab txiv hnov Xime-oos hais txog tus metub li ntawd, nkawd xav tsis thoob li. ³⁴Xime-oos foom koob hmoov rau lawv thiab hais rau Malis uas yog Yexus niam hais tias, “Vajtswv xaiv tus metub no los ua kom cov Yixalayees ntau leej ntog thiab ntau leej sawv. Nws yog ib tug tseemceeb uas Vajtswv txib los, thiab yuav muaj ntau leej tawmtsam nws, ³⁵thiab nws yuav muab tej uas neeg xav hauv nruab siab qhia rau sawvdaws paub, thiab yuav mob koj siab ib yam li rab ntaj chob.”
^36-37Muaj ib tug pojntsuam hu ua Anas, nws yog ib tug cev Vajtswv lus, nws yog Fanu-ees uas yog xeem Aseles tus ntxhais. Nws laus heev lawm, thaum nws tseem hluas, nws yuav txiv tau xya lub xyoo xwb, nws tus txiv tuag lawm. Nimno nws hnubnyoog muaj yim caum plaub xyoos. Nws niaj hnub niaj hmo mus pehawm Vajtswv hauv lub Tuamtsev. Nws ua kevcai yoo mov thiab thov Vajtswv, nws tsis tawm mus qhov twg li. ³⁸Tamsim ntawd Anas txawm tuaj txog, thiab nws ua Vajtswv tsaug thiab hais txog tus metub ntawd rau txhua tus uas tabtom tos Vajtswv los cawm cov neeg uas nyob hauv lub nroog Yeluxalees kom dim mloog.

Yauxej Rov Qab Mus Pem Naxales

³⁹Thaum Yauxej thiab Malis ua txhua yam tiav raws li tus Tswv txoj kevcai lawm, nkawd rov qab mus tsev rau pem lub nroog Naxales uas nyob hauv lub xeev Kalilais. ⁴⁰Tus metub ntawd loj hlob zoo, nws muaj tswvyim thiab Vajtswv foom koob hmoov rau nws.

Tus Metub Yexus Nyob Hauv Lub Tuamtsev

⁴¹Yexus niam thiab txiv niaj xyoo mus ua kevcai Hla Dhau nram lub nroog Yeluxalees. ⁴²Thaum Yexus hnubnyoog muaj kaum ob xyoos, lawv txawm rov mus ua kevcai nram lub nroog Yeluxalees raws li nkawd ibtxwm ua los lawm. ⁴³Thaum dhau lub sijhawm ua kevcai Hla Dhau lawm, nkawd rov qab mus tsev, tiamsis tus metub Yexus tseem nyob hauv lub nroog Yeluxalees. Nws niam thiab nws txiv tsis paub. ⁴⁴Nkawd xav hais tias Yexus nrog cov neeg uas nrog nkawd tuaj rov qab mus lawm, nkawd mus tau ib hnub ke, nkawd mam li nrhiav saib nws puas nrog nkawd cov kwvtij thiab cov phoojywg. ⁴⁵Tiamsis nkawd nrhiav tsis pom nws, nkawd thiaj rov qab mus nrhiav nram lub nroog Yeluxalees. ⁴⁶Ces hnub peb nkawd thiaj nrhiav tau nws nyob hauv lub Tuamtsev, nws nrog cov xibhwb zaum ua ke, nws mloog lawv qhia thiab nug lawv. ⁴⁷Txhua tus uas hnov nws teb, xav tsis thoob rau nws tej kev txawj ntse ntawd li. ⁴⁸Thaum Yexus niam thiab txiv pom nws, nkawd kuj xav tsis thoob li thiab. Nws niam txawm hais rau nws hais tias, “Metub, ua li cas koj yuav ua li no rau wb? Koj txiv wb nrhiav koj thiab txhawj koj kawg li.”
⁴⁹Nws teb nkawd hais tias, “Neb yuav nrhiav kuv ua dabtsi? Neb tsis paub hais tias kuv yuav nyob hauv kuv Txiv lub tsev no los?” ⁵⁰Tiamsis nkawd tsis totaub tej lus uas nws hais ntawd.
⁵¹Yexus nrog nkawd rov qab mus rau pem lub nroog Naxales, thiab nws mloog nkawd lus. Nws niam khaws tej lus ntawd rau nruab siab. ⁵²Yexus loj hlob zoo, muaj tswvyim, nws ua haum Vajtswv siab thiab haum neeg siab.