< Luke 2 >
1 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].
Just at this time an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for the registration of the whole Empire.
2 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.
It was the first registration made during the governorship of Quirinius in Syria;
3 Every person had to go to the town where his [most famous ancestor] had lived, so that [the officials] could write down their names.
and all went to be registered--every one to the town to which he belonged.
4 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].
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 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].
to have himself registered together with Mary, who was betrothed to him and was with child.
6 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.
But while they were there, her full time came,
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 That night, there were [some] shepherds who were taking care of their sheep [as usual] in the fields near [Bethlehem].
Now there were shepherds in the same part of the country, keeping watch over their sheep by night in the open fields,
9 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.
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 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].
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 [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!
For a Saviour who is the Anointed Lord is born to you to-day, in the town of David.
12 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.”
And this is the token for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a large group of angels from heaven appeared and joined the other angel. They all praised God, singing/saying,
And immediately there was with the angel a multitude of the army of Heaven praising God and saying,
14 “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]!”
"Glory be to God in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace among men who please Him!"
15 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!”
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 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.
So they made haste and came and found Mary and Joseph, with the babe lying in the manger.
17 Then they told [Mary and Joseph and others] what had been told them {what [the angel] had told them} about this child.
And when they saw the child, they told what had been said to them about Him;
18 Everyone who heard what was said by the shepherds {what the shepherds said} to them was amazed.
and all who listened were astonished at what the shepherds told them.
19 But Mary [did not talk to others about what the angels said]; she just kept thinking very much about it.
But Mary treasured up all these things, often dwelling on them in her mind.
20 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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--
as it is written in the Law of the Lord: "Every first-born male shall be called holy to the Lord."
24 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].
And they also offered a sacrifice as commanded in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons."
25 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].
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 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.
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 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].
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 So he took Jesus up in his arms and praised God, saying,
he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 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.
"Now, O Sovereign Lord, Thou dost send Thy servant away in peace, in fulfilment of Thy word,
Because mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,
Which Thou hast made ready in the sight of all nations--
A light to shine upon the Gentiles, And the glory of Thy people Israel."
33 His parents marveled about what [Simeon] said about [Jesus]. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary,
And while the child's father and mother were wondering at the words of Symeon concerning Him,
34 “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.
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 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).”
and a sword will pierce through your own soul also; that the reasonings in many hearts may be revealed."
36 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.
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 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.
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 [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].
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 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].
Then, as soon as they had accomplished all that the Law required, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
40 As Jesus grew up, he became strong and very wise, and God was very pleased with him.
And the child grew and became strong and full of wisdom, and the favour of God rested upon Him.
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem to [celebrate] the Passover festival.
Now His parents used to go up year by year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover.
42 So when Jesus was twelve years old, they went up [to Jerusalem] as they always did.
And when He was twelve years old they went up as was customary at the time of the Feast, and,
43 When the celebration ended, his parents started to return home, but Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. [His parents] did not realize that [Jesus stayed there].
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 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.
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 They did not find him, so they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
but being unable to find Him they returned to Jerusalem, making anxious inquiry for Him.
46 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.
On the third day they found Him in the Temple sitting among the Rabbis, both listening to them and asking them questions,
47 Everyone who heard what he [said] was amazed at how much he understood and [how well] he answered [the questions that the teachers asked].
while all who heard Him were astonished at His intelligence and at the answers He gave.
48 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!”
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 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]”
"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 But they did not understand [the meaning of] what he said to them.
But they did not understand the significance of these words.
51 Then he returned with them down to Nazareth. He always obeyed them. But his mother kept thinking about all those things.
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 [As the years passed], Jesus continued to become wiser and he grew taller. God and people continued to approve of him more and more.
And as Jesus grew older He gained in both wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.