Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus

2At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.G1161G1096G1722G1565G2250G1831G1378G3844G2541G828G3956G3625G5832(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria)G3778G582G1096G4413G1096G2958G2230G49473All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.G2532G3956G4198G583G1538G1519G2398G41724And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.G1161G2501G2532G305G575G1056G1537G4172G3478G1519G2449G1519G4172G1138G3748G2564G965G1223G846G1511G1537G3624G2532G3965G11385He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who was now obviously pregnant.G583G4862G3137G846G3423G1135G5607G14716And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.G1161G1096G1722G846G1511G1563G2250G4130G846G50887She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.G2532G5088G846G4416G5207G2532G4683G846G4683G2532G347G846G1722G5336G1360G2258G3756G5117G846G1722G2646

The Shepherds and Angels

8That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.G2532G2258G1722G846G5561G4166G63G2532G5442G5438G1909G846G4167G35719Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified,G2532G2400G32G2962G2186G846G2532G1391G2962G4034G846G2532G3173G5399G540110but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.G2532G32G2036G846G5399G3361G1063G2400G2097G5213G2097G3173G5479G3748G2071G3956G299211The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!G3754G5213G5088G4594G1722G4172G1138G4990G3739G2076G5547G296212And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."G2532G5124G4592G5213G2147G1025G4683G2749G1722G533613Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,G2532G1810G1096G4862G32G4128G3770G4756G134G2316G2532G300414"Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."G1391G2316G1722G5310G2532G1909G1093G1515G2107G1722G44415When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."G2532G1096G5613G32G565G575G846G1519G3772G2532G444G4166G2036G240G4314G240G1330G1211G1330G2193G965G2532G1492G5124G4487G1096G3739G3588G2962G1107G225416They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.G2532G2064G4692G2532G5037G429G3137G2532G2501G2532G1025G2749G1722G533617After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.G1161G1492G1232G4012G4487G3588G2980G846G4012G5127G381318All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished,G2532G3956G191G2296G4012G3588G2980G4314G846G5259G416619but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.G1161G3137G4933G3956G4487G5023G4820G1722G846G258820The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.G2532G4166G1994G1392G2532G134G2316G1909G3956G3739G191G2532G1492G2531G2980G4314G846

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

21Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.G2532G3753G3638G2250G4130G4059G3813G2532G846G3686G2564G2424G3588G2564G5259G32G4253G846G4815G1722G283622Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.G2532G3753G2250G846G2512G2596G3551G3475G4130G321G846G1519G2414G3936G296223The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD."

G2531G1125G1722G3551G2962G3754G3956G730G1272G3388G2564G40G296224So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—"either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

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The Prophecy of Simeon

25At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon himG2532G2400G2258G444G1722G2419G3739G3686G4826G2532G3778G444G1342G2532G2126G4327G3874G2474G2532G40G4151G2258G1909G84626and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah.G2532G2258G5537G846G5259G40G4151G1492G3361G1492G2288G4250G2228G1492G2962G554727That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required,G2532G2064G1722G4151G1519G2411G2532G1118G1521G1722G3813G2424G4160G846G4012G846G2596G1480G355128Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,G2532G1209G846G846G1209G1519G846G43G2532G2127G2316G2532G203629"Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.G1203G3568G630G4675G1401G630G1722G1515G2596G4675G448730I have seen your salvation,G3754G3450G3788G1492G4675G499231which you have prepared for all people.G3739G2090G2596G4383G3956G299232He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!"G5457G1519G602G1484G2532G1391G4675G2992G247433Jesus' parents were amazed at what was being said about him.G2532G2501G2532G846G3384G2258G2296G1909G2980G4012G84634Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him.G2532G4826G2127G846G2532G2036G4314G3137G846G3384G2400G3778G2749G1519G4431G2532G386G4183G1722G2474G2532G1519G4592G48335As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."G1161G4501G1330G4675G846G5590G2532G3704G1261G1537G4183G2588G302G601

The Prophecy of Anna

36Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years.G2532G2258G451G4398G2364G5323G1537G5443G768G3778G846G4183G1722G2250G4260G2198G3326G435G2033G2094G575G846G393237Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four

. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.G2532G3778G5503G5613G3589G5064G2094G3739G868G3756G575G2411G3000G3521G2532G1162G3571G2532G225038She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.G2532G3778G846G2186G846G5610G437G2962G2532G2980G4012G846G3956G4327G3085G1722G241939When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee.G2532G5613G5055G537G2596G3551G2962G5290G1519G1056G1519G846G4172G347840There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on him.G1161G3813G837G2532G2901G4151G4137G4678G2532G5485G2316G2258G1909G846

Jesus Speaks with the Teachers

41Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.G2532G846G1118G4198G1519G2419G2596G2094G1859G395742When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual.G2532G3753G1096G1427G2094G846G305G1519G2414G2596G1485G185943After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first,G2532G5048G2250G1722G846G5290G3816G2424G5278G1722G2419G2532G2501G2532G846G3384G1097G375644because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.G1161G3543G846G1511G1722G4923G2064G2250G3598G2532G327G846G1722G4773G2532G1722G111045When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there.G2532G2147G846G3361G5290G1519G2419G2212G84646Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.G2532G1096G3326G5140G2250G2147G846G1722G2411G2516G1722G3319G1320G2532G191G846G2532G1905G846G190547All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.G1161G3956G191G846G1839G1909G846G4907G2532G61248His parents didn't know what to think. "Son," his mother said to him, "why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."G2532G1492G846G1605G2532G846G3384G2036G4314G846G5043G5101G4160G3779G4160G2254G2400G4675G3962G2504G2212G4571G360049"But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"

G2532G2036G4314G846G5101G3754G2212G3165G1492G3756G3754G3165G1163G1511G1722G3450G396250But they didn't understand what he meant.G2532G846G4920G3756G4487G3739G2980G84651Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.G2532G2597G3326G846G2532G2064G1519G3478G2532G2258G5293G846G2532G846G3384G1301G3956G5023G4487G1722G846G258852Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.G2532G2424G4298G4678G2532G2244G2532G5485G3844G2316G2532G444