路加福音 2
1 一天，凯撒·奥古斯都颁发命令，要对罗马帝国所有民众进行一次人口登记。
Just at this time an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for the registration of the whole Empire.
2 自从居里纽斯担任叙利亚总督以来，这还是首次人口普查。
It was the first registration made during the governorship of Quirinius in Syria;
3 众人回到自己的城市进行登记。
and all went to be registered--every one to the town to which he belonged.
4 约瑟是大卫王的后人，于是他离开加利利的拿撒勒，前往犹太的大卫之城伯利恒。
So Joseph went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judaea, to David's town of Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5 他与订立婚约的玛利亚一同前往，此时玛利亚即将分娩。
to have himself registered together with Mary, who was betrothed to him and was with child.
6 他们来到目的地后，玛利亚的产期也到了，
But while they were there, her full time came,
7 诞下她的长子，但因为客栈中没有空房间，他们只能用布包好婴儿，放在马槽中。
and she gave birth to her first-born son, and wrapped Him round, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 当晚在伯利恒附近，有几名牧羊人正在看守羊群。
Now there were shepherds in the same part of the country, keeping watch over their sheep by night in the open fields,
9 主派来的天使现身于他们面前，周身环绕着主的荣光，这让他们吓得魂飞魄散！
when suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them; and they were filled with terror.
10 天使说：“不要怕！看！我为你们带来了好消息，这也会让所有人感受到真正的喜悦。
But the angel said to them, "Put away all fear; for I am bringing you good news of great joy--joy for all the People.
11 就在今天，在这大卫之城，你们的救世主已经诞生，他就是主基督。
For a Saviour who is the Anointed Lord is born to you to-day, in the town of David.
12 当你们在马槽内看到一个被布包裹的婴孩，就代表你们找到他了。”
And this is the token for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
13 这时忽然出现了很多来自天堂的生命，开始赞美上帝。
And immediately there was with the angel a multitude of the army of Heaven praising God and saying,
14 “赞颂天堂的上帝，人间令他喜悦之人都将获得安宁！”
"Glory be to God in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace among men who please Him!"
15 众天使离开他们返回天堂。牧人彼此说：“我们去伯利恒吧，看看主所说的事情，哪些已经成真。”
Then, as soon as the angels had left them and returned to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go over as far as Bethlehem and see this that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."
16 于是他们匆忙赶去，找到了玛利亚、约瑟和放在马槽里的婴孩。
So they made haste and came and found Mary and Joseph, with the babe lying in the manger.
17 在亲眼目睹这一切后，他们就将天使关于这婴儿的讲述告诉其他人。
And when they saw the child, they told what had been said to them about Him;
18 对牧羊人所说的这些事，所有人都感到惊奇万分。
and all who listened were astonished at what the shepherds told them.
19 玛利亚将所发生的一切牢记心中，反复思量。
But Mary treasured up all these things, often dwelling on them in her mind.
20 牧羊人因亲眼见到天使所言成真，于是便赞美和感谢上帝，回去继续看管他们的羊群。
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen in accordance with the announcement made to them.
21 婴儿诞生后第八天，需要进行割礼，将他起名为耶稣，这也是玛利亚尚未怀胎之时，天使为其提供的名字。
When eight days had passed and the time for circumcising Him had come, He was called JESUS, the name given Him by the angel before His conception in the womb.
22 按摩西律法，玛丽和月色还需要进行净化仪式。这一天，约瑟和玛利亚带孩子去耶路撒冷，打算将其展示给主。
And when the days for their purification appointed by the Law of Moses had passed, they took Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord--
23 就像主的律法所述：“所有长子婴儿都应先献给主。”
as it is written in the Law of the Lord: "Every first-born male shall be called holy to the Lord."
24 随后他们进行了献祭，因为上帝的律法还说：应献祭“一对斑鸠或两只雏鸽。”
And they also offered a sacrifice as commanded in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons."
25 在耶路撒冷有一人名叫西蒙，时刻遵循正道行事，非常虔诚。他期待能看到以色列的希望，希望圣灵降临于他。
Now there was a man in Jerusalem of the name of Symeon, an upright and God-fearing man, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 圣灵曾向他显现，告诉他在有生之年必会见到主的基督。
To him it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Anointed One.
27 他遵循圣灵的指引来到神庙，这时耶稣的父母抱着孩子走进来，打算按照律法献上婴儿。
Led by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do with regard to Him according to the custom of the Law,
28 西蒙用双臂抱住耶稣，一边感谢上帝，一边说：
he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “主啊，我的主人，现在可以按照你的承诺，让你的仆人离开了！
"Now, O Sovereign Lord, Thou dost send Thy servant away in peace, in fulfilment of Thy word,
30 因为我已亲眼见到
Because mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,
31 你为所有人准备的救赎。
Which Thou hast made ready in the sight of all nations--
32 他就是将你显现给全世界的光，是你以色列子民的荣耀。”
A light to shine upon the Gentiles, And the glory of Thy people Israel."
33 西蒙的话让耶稣的父母很震惊。
And while the child's father and mother were wondering at the words of Symeon concerning Him,
34 西蒙向他们祝福，对耶稣的母亲玛利亚说：“这孩子必定会让很多以色列人倒下，也让很多人崛起。他就是上帝的信号，但很多人都会反对他，
Symeon blessed them and said to Mary the mother, "This child is appointed for the falling and the uprising of many in Israel and for a token to be spoken against;
35 这也揭露了他们心中的想法。对你而言，这感觉就像被刀剑刺穿。”
and a sword will pierce through your own soul also; that the reasonings in many hearts may be revealed."
36 亚拿是耶路撒冷的一位年事已高的女先知，是亚什部落法内利的女儿，曾有过一段七年的婚姻。
There was also Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, belonging to the tribe of Asher. She was of a very great age, having had after her maidenhood seven years of married life,
37 丈夫去世后，她便独自寡居，如今已八十四岁，经常会到神庙中膜拜、禁食和祷告。
and then being a widow of eighty-four years. She was never absent from the Temple, but worshipped, by day and by night, with fasting and prayer.
38 此刻她刚好走近他们，于是开始赞美上帝，然后向所有期待上帝拯救耶路撒冷的众人，讲述耶稣的事情。
And coming up just at that moment, she gave thanks to God, and spoke about the child to all who were expecting the deliverance of Jerusalem.
39 耶稣的父母完成了上帝律法要求的一切，于是就返回加利利，回到位于拿撒勒的家中。
Then, as soon as they had accomplished all that the Law required, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
40 婴儿逐渐长大，愈发强壮和睿智，因为他已获得上帝的赐福。
And the child grew and became strong and full of wisdom, and the favour of God rested upon Him.
41 每年逾越节，耶稣的父母都会去耶路撒冷。
Now His parents used to go up year by year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover.
42 在他十二岁那年，他们按着惯例再次去参加这个节日。
And when He was twelve years old they went up as was customary at the time of the Feast, and,
43 节日结束后本应该回家，但年幼的耶稣仍留在耶路撒冷，他父母却没有意识到这一点，
after staying the full number of days, when they started back home the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not discover this,
44 以为他在返回家园的人群之中。一天后，他们开始在亲戚朋友中寻找他。
but supposing Him to be in the travelling company, they proceeded a day's journey. Then they searched up and down for Him among their relatives and acquaintances;
45 但一直没有找到，于是就回到耶路撒冷继续寻找。
but being unable to find Him they returned to Jerusalem, making anxious inquiry for Him.
46 三天后，才发现他在神庙里，身边是几位宗教老师。他一面听他们说的话，一面向他们提出问题。
On the third day they found Him in the Temple sitting among the Rabbis, both listening to them and asking them questions,
47 所有听过他讲话的人，都对他深刻的理解和回答而惊讶万分。
while all who heard Him were astonished at His intelligence and at the answers He gave.
48 看到眼前这一切，他父母非常不解。他母亲说：“孩子，你怎么能这样对我们？你看，我和你父亲如此担心你，到处找你！”
When they saw Him, they were smitten with amazement, and His mother said to Him, "My child, why have you behaved thus to us? Your father and I have been searching for you in anguish."
49 耶稣回答：“你们为什么找我？难道你们不知道，我应该在这里，在我父的家中？”
"Why is it that you have been searching for me?" He replied; "did you not know that it is my duty to be engaged upon my Father's business?"
50 但他父母并不理解他这番话。
But they did not understand the significance of these words.
51 于是他就顺从父母之意回到拿撒勒，但他母亲把这一切都记在心上。
Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was always obedient to them; but His mother carefully treasured up all these incidents in her memory.
52 耶稣的智慧和力量不断增长，上帝和民众都喜欢他。
And as Jesus grew older He gained in both wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
