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

耶稣降生

（太1．18－25）

¹在那些日子，凯撒奥古斯都降旨，叫全国人民都登记户籍。 ²这第一次登记户籍是在居里扭作叙利亚总督的时候行的。 ³众人各归各城，办理登记。 ⁴约瑟也从加利利的拿撒勒城上犹太去，到了大卫的城名叫伯利恒，因为他是大卫家族的人， ⁵要和他所聘之妻马利亚一同登记户籍。那时马利亚已经怀孕。 ⁶他们在那里的时候，马利亚的产期到了， ⁷就生了头胎的儿子，用布包起来，放在马槽里，因为客店里没有地方。

天使报喜讯给牧羊人

⁸在伯利恒⚓的野外有牧羊人，夜间值班看守羊群。 ⁹有主的一个使者站在他们旁边，主的荣光四面照着他们，牧羊人就很惧怕。 ¹⁰那天使对他们说：“不要惧怕！看哪！因为我报给你们大喜的信息，是关乎万民的： ¹¹因今天在大卫的城里，为你们生了救主，就是主基督。 ¹²你们要看见一个婴孩，包着布，卧在马槽里，那就是给你们的记号。” ¹³忽然，有一大队天兵同那天使赞美上帝说：
¹⁴“在至高之处荣耀归与上帝！
在地上平安归与他所喜悦的人！”
¹⁵众天使离开他们，升天去了。牧羊人彼此说：“我们往伯利恒去，看看所成的事，就是主所告诉我们的。” ¹⁶他们急忙去了，找到马利亚和约瑟，还有那婴孩卧在马槽里。 ¹⁷他们看见，就把天使论这孩子的话传开了。 ¹⁸听见的人都诧异牧羊人对他们所说的话。 ¹⁹马利亚却把这一切的事存在心里，反覆思考。 ²⁰牧羊人回去了，因所听见所看见的一切事，正如天使向他们所说的，就归荣耀于上帝，赞美他。
²¹满了八天，他们就给孩子行割礼，又给他起名叫耶稣；这是他还没有在母腹里成胎以前天使所起的名。

把耶稣献给主

²²按摩西律法满了洁净的日子，他们就带着孩子上耶路撒冷去，要把他献给主。 ²³正如主的律法上所记：“凡头生的男子必归主为圣”； ²⁴又要照主的律法上所说，用一对斑鸠，或用两只雏鸽献祭。
²⁵那时，在耶路撒冷有一个人，名叫西面；这人又公义又虔诚，素常盼望以色列的安慰者来到，又有圣灵在他身上。 ²⁶他得了圣灵的启示，知道自己未死以前必看见主所立的基督。 ²⁷他受了圣灵的感动，进入圣殿，正遇见耶稣的父母抱着孩子进来，要照律法的规矩而行。 ²⁸西面就把他抱过来，称颂上帝说：
²⁹“主啊，如今可以照你的话，
容你的仆人安然去世；
³⁰因为我的眼睛已经看见你的救恩，
³¹就是你在万民面前所预备的：
³²是启示外邦人的光，
是你民以色列的荣耀。”
³³孩子的父母因论耶稣的这些话就惊讶。 ³⁴西面给他们祝福，又对孩子的母亲马利亚说：“这孩子被立，是要叫以色列中许多人跌倒，许多人兴起；又要成为毁谤的对象， ³⁵叫许多人心里的意念显露出来；你自己的心也要被剑刺透。”
³⁶又有位女先知，名叫亚拿，是亚设支派法内力的女儿，年纪已经老迈，从童女出嫁，同丈夫住了七年， ³⁷就寡居了，现在已经八十四岁⚓。她不离开圣殿，禁食祈求，昼夜事奉上帝。 ³⁸正当那时，她进前来感谢上帝，对一切盼望耶路撒冷得救赎的人讲论这孩子的事。

回拿撒勒

³⁹约瑟和马利亚照主的律法办完了一切的事，就回加利利，到自己的城拿撒勒去了。 ⁴⁰孩子渐渐长大，强健起来，充满智慧，又有上帝的恩典在他身上。

少年耶稣在圣殿里

⁴¹每年逾越节，他父母都上耶路撒冷去。 ⁴²当他十二岁的时候，他们按着过节的规矩上去。 ⁴³守满了节期，他们回去，孩童耶稣仍旧在耶路撒冷。他的父母并不知道， ⁴⁴以为他在同行的人中间，走了一天的路程才在亲属和熟悉的人中找他， ⁴⁵既找不着，就回耶路撒冷去找他。 ⁴⁶过了三天，他们发现他在圣殿里，坐在教师中间，一面听，一面问。 ⁴⁷凡听见他的人都对他的聪明和应对感到惊奇。 ⁴⁸他父母看见就很惊奇。他母亲对他说：“我儿啊，为什么对我们这样做呢？看哪，你父亲和我很焦急，到处找你！” ⁴⁹耶稣对他们说：“为什么找我呢？难道你们不知道我应当在我父的家里吗？⚓” ⁵⁰他所说的这话，他们不明白。 ⁵¹他就同他们下去，回到拿撒勒，并且顺从他们。他母亲把这一切的事都存在心里。 ⁵²耶稣的智慧和身量⚓，并上帝和人喜爱他的心，都一齐增长。