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

The Birth of Jesus

¹In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while⚓ Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to their own town to register.
⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone 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 about.”
¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
²¹On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²²When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”⚓ ), ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”⚓
²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
²⁹“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss⚓ your servant in peace.
³⁰For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
³³The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
³⁶There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.⚓ She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
³⁹When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. ⁴²When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
⁴⁹“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”⚓ ⁵⁰But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
⁵¹Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.