Luke 2

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree for the whole world to be registered.

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

3So all the people set out to register, each one to his own town.

4Joseph too went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, since he came from the house and clan of David,

5to register together with Mary, to whom he was engaged; she was pregnant.

6While they were staying there, her time came to give birth,

7and she bore a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him down in a manger, since the guest room had no space for them.

8There were shepherds in that same area who were staying out in the open country, standing guard over their flock through the night.

9Then an angel of the Lord stood over them, the Lord’s glory shone all around them, and they were struck with great fear.

10The angel told them, “Do not be afraid, for look, I am proclaiming to you good news of great joy that will belong to all the people:

11this very day in David’s city a Savior has been born for you. He is the Messiah, the Lord.

12And this is your sign: you will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”

13All at once there was with the angel a vast crowd of heaven’s army, praising God and saying,

14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people in whom he delights!”

15After the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Come, let us make our way to Bethlehem and see this event that has taken place, which the Lord has revealed to us.”

16They went quickly and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and to the baby lying in the manger.

17After seeing him, they made known the message they had been given about this child.

18Everyone who heard marveled at the things the shepherds were telling them.

19But Mary held on to all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

20Then the shepherds returned, giving glory and praise to God for everything they had heard and seen, which matched what they had been told.

21When the eight days were up and the time came to circumcise him, he was given the name Jesus, the name spoken by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

22When the time for their purification under the law of Moses had run its course, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb is to be called holy to the Lord”),

24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is stated in the law of the Lord: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

25In Jerusalem there was a man by the name of Simeon. He was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s comfort, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

26The Holy Spirit had made known to him that he would not see death before laying eyes on the Lord’s Messiah.

27Guided by the Spirit, he came into the temple. As the parents were bringing in the child Jesus to carry out for him what was customary under the law,

28Simeon received him into his arms and blessed God, saying,

29“Master, now you are releasing your servant in peace, just as you said,

30for my eyes have seen your salvation,

31which you have made ready before the face of all peoples,

32a light that brings revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

33His father and mother were marveling at the things being said about him.

34Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Look, this child has been appointed to make many in Israel fall and rise, and to be a sign that meets opposition—

35and a sword will go right through your own soul as well—so that the thoughts in many hearts may be brought into the open.”

36Anna, a prophetess, was there as well. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and she was well advanced in years, having lived with her husband for seven years from the time she married as a virgin,

37and since then she had been a widow; she was now eighty-four. She was always at the temple, worshiping night and day with fasts and petitions.

38At that very hour she came up and began thanking God and speaking about the child to everyone who was looking forward to Jerusalem’s redemption.

39Once they had carried out everything the law of the Lord called for, they went back to Galilee, to Nazareth, their own town.

40The child kept growing and gaining strength, being filled with wisdom, and God’s grace rested on him.

41Year after year his parents would travel to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.

42When he turned twelve, they went up in keeping with the custom of the festival.

43Once the days of the feast were finished and they were heading back, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem without his parents knowing.

44Assuming he was in the traveling party, they traveled for a day, and then they kept searching for him among their relatives and the people they knew.

45Failing to find him, they returned to Jerusalem, hunting for him.

46Three days later they found him in the temple, seated in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them and putting questions to them.

47Everyone who heard him was astounded by his insight and by the answers he gave.

48They were stunned when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have been in anguish as we searched for you.”

49“What made you search for me?” he said to them. “Were you not aware that I had to be in my Father’s house?”

50But they did not grasp what he had said to them.

51He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he lived under their authority. His mother kept all these things safe in her heart.

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