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

耶穌降生

（太1．18－25）

¹在那些日子，凱撒奧古斯都降旨，叫全國人民都登記戶籍。 ²這第一次登記戶籍是在居里扭作敘利亞總督的時候行的。 ³眾人各歸各城，辦理登記。 ⁴約瑟也從加利利的拿撒勒城上猶太去，到了大衛的城名叫伯利恆，因為他是大衛家族的人， ⁵要和他所聘之妻馬利亞一同登記戶籍。那時馬利亞已經懷孕。 ⁶他們在那裏的時候，馬利亞的產期到了， ⁷就生了頭胎的兒子，用布包起來，放在馬槽裏，因為客店裏沒有地方。

天使報喜訊給牧羊人

⁸在伯利恆⚓的野外有牧羊人，夜間值班看守羊羣。 ⁹有主的一個使者站在他們旁邊，主的榮光四面照着他們，牧羊人就很懼怕。 ¹⁰那天使對他們說：「不要懼怕！看哪！因為我報給你們大喜的信息，是關乎萬民的： ¹¹因今天在大衛的城裏，為你們生了救主，就是主基督。 ¹²你們要看見一個嬰孩，包着布，臥在馬槽裏，那就是給你們的記號。」 ¹³忽然，有一大隊天兵同那天使讚美上帝說：
¹⁴「在至高之處榮耀歸與上帝！
在地上平安歸與他所喜悅的人！」
¹⁵眾天使離開他們，升天去了。牧羊人彼此說：「我們往伯利恆去，看看所成的事，就是主所告訴我們的。」 ¹⁶他們急忙去了，找到馬利亞和約瑟，還有那嬰孩臥在馬槽裏。 ¹⁷他們看見，就把天使論這孩子的話傳開了。 ¹⁸聽見的人都詫異牧羊人對他們所說的話。 ¹⁹馬利亞卻把這一切的事存在心裏，反覆思考。 ²⁰牧羊人回去了，因所聽見所看見的一切事，正如天使向他們所說的，就歸榮耀於上帝，讚美他。
²¹滿了八天，他們就給孩子行割禮，又給他起名叫耶穌；這是他還沒有在母腹裏成胎以前天使所起的名。

把耶穌獻給主

²²按摩西律法滿了潔淨的日子，他們就帶着孩子上耶路撒冷去，要把他獻給主。 ²³正如主的律法上所記：「凡頭生的男子必歸主為聖」； ²⁴又要照主的律法上所說，用一對斑鳩，或用兩隻雛鴿獻祭。
²⁵那時，在耶路撒冷有一個人，名叫西面；這人又公義又虔誠，素常盼望以色列的安慰者來到，又有聖靈在他身上。 ²⁶他得了聖靈的啟示，知道自己未死以前必看見主所立的基督。 ²⁷他受了聖靈的感動，進入聖殿，正遇見耶穌的父母抱着孩子進來，要照律法的規矩而行。 ²⁸西面就把他抱過來，稱頌上帝說：
²⁹「主啊，如今可以照你的話，
容你的僕人安然去世；
³⁰因為我的眼睛已經看見你的救恩，
³¹就是你在萬民面前所預備的：
³²是啟示外邦人的光，
是你民以色列的榮耀。」
³³孩子的父母因論耶穌的這些話就驚訝。 ³⁴西面給他們祝福，又對孩子的母親馬利亞說：「這孩子被立，是要叫以色列中許多人跌倒，許多人興起；又要成為毀謗的對象， ³⁵叫許多人心裏的意念顯露出來；你自己的心也要被劍刺透。」
³⁶又有位女先知，名叫亞拿，是亞設支派法內力的女兒，年紀已經老邁，從童女出嫁，同丈夫住了七年， ³⁷就寡居了，現在已經八十四歲⚓。她不離開聖殿，禁食祈求，晝夜事奉上帝。 ³⁸正當那時，她進前來感謝上帝，對一切盼望耶路撒冷得救贖的人講論這孩子的事。

回拿撒勒

³⁹約瑟和馬利亞照主的律法辦完了一切的事，就回加利利，到自己的城拿撒勒去了。 ⁴⁰孩子漸漸長大，強健起來，充滿智慧，又有上帝的恩典在他身上。

少年耶穌在聖殿裏

⁴¹每年逾越節，他父母都上耶路撒冷去。 ⁴²當他十二歲的時候，他們按着過節的規矩上去。 ⁴³守滿了節期，他們回去，孩童耶穌仍舊在耶路撒冷。他的父母並不知道， ⁴⁴以為他在同行的人中間，走了一天的路程才在親屬和熟悉的人中找他， ⁴⁵既找不着，就回耶路撒冷去找他。 ⁴⁶過了三天，他們發現他在聖殿裏，坐在教師中間，一面聽，一面問。 ⁴⁷凡聽見他的人都對他的聰明和應對感到驚奇。 ⁴⁸他父母看見就很驚奇。他母親對他說：「我兒啊，為甚麼對我們這樣做呢？看哪，你父親和我很焦急，到處找你！」 ⁴⁹耶穌對他們說：「為甚麼找我呢？難道你們不知道我應當在我父的家裏嗎？⚓」 ⁵⁰他所說的這話，他們不明白。 ⁵¹他就同他們下去，回到拿撒勒，並且順從他們。他母親把這一切的事都存在心裏。 ⁵²耶穌的智慧和身量⚓，並上帝和人喜愛他的心，都一齊增長。