Luke 2
1 And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be registered.
Now it came about in those days that an order went out from Caesar Augustus that there was to be a numbering of all the world.
2 (This registering was the first made while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
This was the first numbering, which was made when Quirinius was ruler of Syria.
3 And all went to be registered, each to his own city.
And all men went to be numbered, everyone to his town.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judaea, to Beth-lehem, the town of David, because he was of the house and family of David,
5 to be registered with Mary who had been betrothed to him, who was with child.
To be put on the list with Mary, his future wife, who was about to become a mother.
6 And it came to pass, while they were there, that the days for her delivery were completed.
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swathing-clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And she had her first son; and folding him in linen, she put him to rest in the place where the cattle had their food, because there was no room for them in the house.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, and keeping watch over their flock by night.
And in the same country there were keepers of sheep in the fields, watching over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord came to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were in great fear.
And an angel of the Lord came to them, and the glory of the Lord was shining round about them: and fear came on them.
10 And the angel said to them, Fear not; for lo! I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to the whole people;
And the angel said, Have no fear; for truly, I give you good news of great joy which will be for all the people:
11 for to you hath been born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is the Christ, the Lord.
For on this day, in the town of David, a Saviour has come to birth, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be the sign to you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swathing-clothes, [[lying]] in a manger.
And this is the sign to you: you will see a young child folded in linen, in the place where the cattle have their food.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
And suddenly there was with the angel a great band of spirits from heaven, giving praise to God, and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will!”
Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace among men with whom he is well pleased.
15 And it came to pass, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said one to another, Let us go at once to Bethlehem, and see that which hath come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us.
And when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the keepers of the sheep said to one another, Let us go now to Beth-lehem, and see this thing which has come about, which the Lord has made clear to us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.
And they came quickly, and saw Mary and Joseph, and the child in the place where the cattle had their food.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad what had been told them concerning this child.
And when they saw it, they gave them an account of the things which had been said to them about the child.
18 And all who heard wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
And all those to whose ears it came were full of wonder at the things said by the keepers of the sheep.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
But Mary kept all these words in her heart, and gave much thought to them.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all which they had heard and seen, as had been told them.
Then the keepers of the sheep went back, giving glory and praise to God for all the things which had come to their ears and which they had seen, as it had been said to them.
21 And when eight days were completed for him to be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when, after eight days, the time came for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given to him before his birth.
22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
And when the necessary days for making them clean by the law of Moses had come to an end, they took him to Jerusalem to give him to the Lord
23 as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every first-born male shall be called holy to the Lord,”
(As it says in the law of the Lord, Every mother's first male child is to be holy to the Lord),
24 and to offer a sacrifice, according to what is directed in the law of the Lord: “A pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.”
And to make an offering, as it is ordered in the law of the Lord, of two doves or other young birds.
25 And lo! there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and he was a righteous and devout man, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was upon him;
And there was then in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon; and he was an upright man, fearing God and waiting for the comfort of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was on him.
26 and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
And he had knowledge, through the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death till he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,
And full of the Spirit he came into the Temple; and when the father and mother came in with the child Jesus, to do with him what was ordered by the law,
28 he took him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Then he took him in his arms and gave praise to God and said,
29 Lord! now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;
Now you are letting your servant go in peace, O Lord, as you have said;
30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which thou hast prepared before the face of all the peoples;
Which you have made ready before the face of all nations;
32 a light to enlighten the gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was spoken concerning him.
And his father and mother were full of wonder at the things which were said about him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that will be spoken against; —
And Simeon gave them his blessing and said to Mary, his mother, See, this child will be the cause of the downfall and the lifting up of great numbers of people in Israel, and he will be a sign against which hard words will be said;
35 yea, a sword will pierce through thine own soul, —that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
(And a sword will go through your heart; ) so that the secret thoughts of men may come to light.
36 And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel: of the tribe of Asher; she was of great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;
And there was one, Anna, a woman prophet, the daughter of Phanuel, of the family of Asher (she was very old, and after seven years of married life
37 and she was a widow eighty-four years old, who never left the temple, worshipping with fastings and prayers night and day.
She had been a widow for eighty-four years); she was in the Temple at all times, worshipping with prayers and going without food, night and day.
38 And she came up at this very time, and gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
And coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, talking of him to all those who were waiting for the freeing of Jerusalem.
39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
And when they had done all the things which were ordered by the law of the Lord, they went back to Galilee, to Nazareth, the town where they were living.
40 And the child grew, and waxed strong, being filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him.
And the child became tall and strong and full of wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
41 Now his parents used to go yearly to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover.
And every year his father and mother went to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, and they went up, after the custom of the feast,
And when he was twelve years old, they went up, as their way was, to the feast;
43 and had completed the days, on their returning, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents did not know it,
And when the days of the feast came to an end and they were going back, the boy Jesus was still in Jerusalem, but they had no knowledge of it:
44 but, supposing him to be in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance;
And in the belief that he was with some of their number, they went a day's journey; and after looking for him among their relations and friends,
45 and not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem in search of him.
And seeing that he was not there, they went back to Jerusalem, to make search for him.
46 And it came to pass, 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.
And after three days they came across him in the Temple, seated among the wise men, giving ear to their words and putting questions to them.
47 And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and his answers.
And all to whose ears it came were full of wonder at his knowledge and the answers which he gave.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed; and his mother said to him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have been seeking thee in much distress.
And when they saw him they were surprised, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you done this to us? see, your father and I have been looking for you with sorrow.
49 And he said to them, Why is it that ye have been seeking me? Did ye not know that I must be about my Father's business?
And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? was it not clear to you that my right place was in my Father's house?
50 And they understood not what he spoke to them.
And his words seemed strange to them.
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth; and did as he was ordered: and his mother kept all these words in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
And Jesus was increasing in wisdom and in years, and in grace before God and men.
