Luke 2

¹Now it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the inhabited world.

²This was the first registration, when Quirinius was governing Syria.

³And all were going to be registered, each to his own city.

⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

⁵to register with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

⁶And it came to pass that while they were there, the days for her to give birth were fulfilled,

⁷and she gave birth to her son, the firstborn, and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the lodging.

⁸And there were shepherds in the same region, lodging in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

⁹And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were seized with great fear.

¹⁰And the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

¹¹because to you is born today, in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

¹²And this will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.

¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:

¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people of his good pleasure.

¹⁵And it came to pass, as the angels were departing from them into heaven, the men, the shepherds, were saying to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.

¹⁶And they came hurrying and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.

¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known the saying that had been spoken to them about this child.

¹⁸And all who heard it marveled at the things that were spoken to them by the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary was treasuring up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

²¹And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, the child was also called by the name Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²²And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,

²³as it is written in the law of the Lord, that 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.

²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous 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.

²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple courts; and as the parents were bringing in the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law,

²⁸he himself received him into his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹Now, Sovereign Lord, you are releasing your servant in peace, according to your word,

³⁰because my eyes have seen your salvation,

³¹which you have prepared before the face of all peoples,

³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel.

³³And his father and his mother were marveling at the things being spoken about him.

³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: Behold, this child is appointed for the falling and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against —

³⁵and a sword will pass through your own soul also — so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

³⁶And there was Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity,

³⁷and she was a widow until the age of eighty-four, who did not depart from the temple, serving with fastings and prayers night and day.

³⁸And she, coming up at that very hour, was giving thanks to God and was speaking about him to all those waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹And when they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

⁴⁰And the child was growing and becoming strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.

⁴¹And his parents were going every year to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover.

⁴²And when he was twelve years old, as they were going up according to the custom of the feast,

⁴³and when they had completed the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not know it.

⁴⁴But supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and then they began searching for him among their relatives and acquaintances.

⁴⁵And when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.

⁴⁶And it came about 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 his answers.

⁴⁸And when they saw him, they were overwhelmed with amazement, and his mother said to him: 'Child, why have you done this to us? Look — your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.'

⁴⁹And he said to them: 'Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?'

⁵⁰And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.

⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus kept advancing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.