Luke 2
1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.
About that time the Emperor Augustus commanded that ([his officials must] write down the names/[a census be taken]) of all the people who lived in countries [controlled] by the Roman [government] {that the Roman [government controlled]}, [so that the government could collect taxes from them].
2 This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
That was the first time that they (wrote down the names/took a census) in Syria [province, which included Judea district]. They did this while Quirinius was the governor of the province.
3 And everyone went to his own town to register.
Every person had to go to the town where his [most famous ancestor] had lived, so that [the officials] could write down their names.
4 So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David.
So, because Joseph was a descendant of [King] David, he went up from Nazareth, the town in Galilee [district where he lived], to the town of Bethlehem in Judea [district]. That was the town where [King] David [grew up].
5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.
Joseph went with Mary, who [was considered] {whom [people considered]} [to be] his wife, who was now pregnant. They went so that they could put his name and Mary’s name [in the record book].
6 While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born.
When they arrived [in Bethlehem], there was no place for them to stay in the house where travelers stay. [So they stayed in a cattle shed]. When the time for Mary to give birth arrived, she gave birth to her first son there. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and placed him in a trough where [people] put food for the animals.
7 And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
That night, there were [some] shepherds who were taking care of their sheep [as usual] in the fields near [Bethlehem].
9 Just then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
An angel from God appeared to them. A great light (from the Lord/from God) shone on them and around them. [So] they became very afraid.
10 But 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:
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! I have come to tell you good news, which will [make you] very happy! This message is for everyone [to hear].
11 Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!
[The message is that] today a baby has been born in [Bethlehem, the town where King] David grew up. That baby will [eventually] save you [from the guilt of your sins]! He is the Messiah, [your] Lord!
12 And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
I will tell you how [you will recognize him] (OR, how you will know [that what I say is true]): [In Bethlehem] you will find a baby who has been wrapped {[whose mother] has wrapped him} in strips of cloth and placed in a trough where [people] put food for the animals.”
13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
Suddenly a large group of angels from heaven appeared and joined the other angel. They all praised God, singing/saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”
“May [all the angels] in the highest heaven praise God! And on the earth may the people to whom God has shown his favor have peace [with him]!”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
After the angels left them [and returned] to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem to see this [wonderful] thing that has happened, which (the Lord/God) has told us about!”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.
So they went quickly. They found the [place where] Mary and Joseph [were staying], and [they saw] the baby lying in the trough where [people] put food for the animals.
17 After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him.
Then they told [Mary and Joseph and others] what had been told them {what [the angel] had told them} about this child.
18 And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
Everyone who heard what was said by the shepherds {what the shepherds said} to them was amazed.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
But Mary [did not talk to others about what the angels said]; she just kept thinking very much about it.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.
The shepherds returned [to their sheep]. They kept praising God very much for all the things that they had heard and seen, [because] everything [happened] exactly like [the angels] told them.
21 When the eight days until His circumcision had passed, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived.
Seven days later, when [the priests] circumcised the baby, [his parents] named him Jesus. That was the name that [they were told by] the angel {the angel [told them]} [to] give him before Mary became pregnant.
22 And when the time of purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
It had been written by Moses {Moses had written} [long ago] in a law that God gave him, that when a woman gave birth to her first son, the parents had to take him [to the Temple] in Jerusalem in order that they might dedicate him (to the Lord/to God). So when the time came for them to do those rituals so that [God would consider] them pure again, Mary and Joseph took Jesus there.
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”),
24 and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
God had commanded in his laws that if the first child [of a couple] was a boy, his parents should offer as a sacrifice to God two turtledoves or two young pigeons. [So Joseph and Mary gave the priest two birds so he could offer them].
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
At that time there was an [old] man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. He habitually did what was pleasing to God and he obeyed God’s laws. The Holy Spirit was [directing] him as he was waiting for [God] [MTY] [to] encourage the Israeli [people by sending the Messiah].
26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
It was [previously] revealed by the Holy Spirit {The Holy Spirit [previously] revealed} to him that he would see God’s [promised] Messiah before he died.
27 Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what was customary under the Law,
When Joseph and Mary brought their baby Jesus [to the Temple] in order to perform the rituals that [God had commanded] in his laws, the Spirit led Simeon to enter the Temple [courtyard, and revealed to him that Jesus was the Messiah].
28 Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:
So he took Jesus up in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace.
Lord, you promised me that I would see the one [MTY] who would enable you to save people of all people-groups from the guilt of their sins. He will be [MET] like a light that will reveal your truth to non-Jews, and he will cause people to think highly of your people, the Israeli people. Since I [SYN] have now seen this one that you promised to send, now let me die peacefully.
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31 which You have prepared in the sight of all people,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
33 The Child’s father and mother were amazed at what was spoken about Him.
His parents marveled about what [Simeon] said about [Jesus]. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary,
34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
“Note what I say: [God] has determined that because of this child, many Israeli people will [turn away from God], and many others will turn to God [MET]. Although he will be like a sign [MET] [to warn people], [many] people will oppose him.
35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed— and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”
As a result, the [evil] thoughts of many people will be made evident {he will reveal the [evil] thoughts of many people}. [Furthermore, the cruel things that they will do to him] [MET] [will be like] a sword that will pierce your (soul/inner being).”
36 There was also a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was well along in years. She had been married for seven years,
There was also [in the Temple courtyard] a very old woman named Anna. She was a prophetess. Her father Phanuel was a member of the tribe of Asher. After she had been married seven years, her husband died.
37 and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
After that, she lived until she was 84 years old, and she was still a widow. She stayed in the Temple [area] all the time, night and day, worshipping God. She often (abstained from food/fasted) as she prayed.
38 Coming forward at that moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
[While Joseph and Mary and the baby were] still [in the Temple, Anna came to them. She thanked God for the baby]. Then she spoke about Jesus to many people who were expecting [God to send the Messiah] [MTY] to set [the people of] [MTY] Jerusalem free [from their enemies].
39 When Jesus’ parents had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
After Joseph and Mary had finished performing the rituals that (the Lord/God) required [the parents of a first son] to perform, they returned to their own town, Nazareth, in Galilee [district].
40 And the Child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.
As Jesus grew up, he became strong and very wise, and God was very pleased with him.
41 Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem to [celebrate] the Passover festival.
42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Feast.
So when Jesus was twelve years old, they went up [to Jerusalem] as they always did.
43 When those days were over and they were returning home, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but His parents were unaware He had stayed.
When the celebration ended, his parents started to return home, but Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. [His parents] did not realize that [Jesus stayed there].
44 Assuming He was in their company, they traveled on for a day before they began to look for Him among their relatives and friends.
They thought that he was with the other people who were traveling with them. They walked all day. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they could not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him.
They did not find him, so they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
46 Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
Two days later, they found him. He was in the Temple [courtyard], sitting with the [Jewish] religious teachers. He was listening to what they said, and he was asking them questions.
47 And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.
Everyone who heard what he [said] was amazed at how much he understood and [how well] he answered [the questions that the teachers asked].
48 When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”
When his parents saw him, they were very surprised. His mother said to him, “My son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried as we [(exc)] have been searching for you!”
49 “Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”
He said to them, [speaking about the Temple being God his Father’s house], “(I am surprised that you [(dl)] did [not know] where to find me!/Why did you [not know] where to find me?) [RHQ] (You [(dl)] should have known that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house!/Did you not know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?) [RHQ]”
50 But they did not understand the statement He was making to them.
But they did not understand [the meaning of] what he said to them.
51 Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
Then he returned with them down to Nazareth. He always obeyed them. But his mother kept thinking about all those things.
52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
[As the years passed], Jesus continued to become wiser and he grew taller. God and people continued to approve of him more and more.
