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¶ Y aconteció en aquellos días que salió edicto de parte de Augusto César, que toda la tierra fuera empadronada.

Este empadronamiento primero fue hecho siendo Cirenio gobernador de Siria.

E iban todos para ser empadronados, cada uno a su ciudad.

Y subió José de Galilea, de la ciudad de Nazaret, a Judea, a la ciudad de David, que se llama Belén, por cuanto era de la casa y familia de David;

Para ser empadronado con María su mujer, desposada con él, la cual estaba encinta.

Y aconteció que estando ellos allí, se cumplieron los días de su alumbramiento.

Y dio a luz a su hijo primogénito, y le envolvió en pañales, y le acostó en un pesebre, porque no había lugar para ellos en el mesón.

¶ Y había pastores en la misma tierra, que velaban y guardaban las vigilias de la noche sobre su rebaño.

Y he aquí el ángel del Señor vino sobre ellos, y la claridad de Dios los cercó de resplandor; y tuvieron gran temor.

10 Mas el ángel les dijo: No temáis; porque he aquí os doy evangelio de gran gozo, que será a todo el pueblo;

11 que os es nacido hoy Salvador, que es Cristo, el Señor, en la ciudad de David.

12 Y esto os será por señal: hallaréis al niño envuelto en pañales, acostado en un pesebre.

13 Y repentinamente hubo con el ángel una multitud de los ejércitos celestiales, que alababan a Dios, y decían:

14 Gloria en las alturas a Dios, Y en la tierra paz, y en el hombre buena voluntad.

15 Y aconteció que cuando los ángeles se fueron de ellos al cielo, los pastores dijeron los unos a los otros: Pasemos pues hasta Belén, y veamos esto que ha acontecido, y el Señor nos ha mostrado.

16 Y vinieron aprisa, y hallaron a María, y a José, y al niño acostado en el pesebre.

17 Y viéndolo, hicieron notorio lo que les había sido dicho del niño.

18 Y todos los que oyeron, se maravillaron de lo que los pastores les decían.

19 Mas María guardaba todas estas cosas, meditándolas en su corazón.

20 Y se volvieron los pastores glorificando y alabando a Dios de todas las cosas que habían oído y visto, como les había sido dicho.

21 ¶ Y pasados los ocho días para circuncidar al niño, llamaron su nombre JESÚS; el cual le fue puesto por el ángel antes que él fuera concebido en el vientre.

22 Y cuando se cumplieron los días de su purificación, conforme a la ley de Moisés, le trajeron a Jerusalén para presentarle al Señor,

23 (Como está escrito en la ley del Señor: Todo varón que abriere la matriz, será santo al Señor),

24 y para dar la ofrenda, conforme a lo que está dicho en la ley del Señor: un par de tórtolas, o dos palominos.

25 ¶ Y he aquí, había un hombre en Jerusalén, llamado Simeón, y este hombre, justo y pío, esperaba la consolación de Israel; y el Espíritu Santo era sobre él.

26 Y había recibido respuesta del Espíritu Santo, que no vería la muerte antes que viera al Cristo del Señor.

27 Y vino por el Espíritu al templo. Y cuando sus padres trajeron al niño Jesús al Templo, para hacer por él conforme a la costumbre de la ley.

28 Entonces él le tomó en sus brazos, y bendijo a Dios, y dijo:

29 Ahora despides, Señor, a tu esclavo, Conforme a tu palabra, en paz;

30 porque han visto mis ojos tu Salud,

31 la cual has aparejado en presencia de todos los pueblos;

32 lumbre para ser revelada a los gentiles, y la gloria de tu pueblo Israel.

33 Y José y su madre estaban maravillados de las cosas que se decían de él.

34 Y los bendijo Simeón, y dijo a su madre María: He aquí, éste es puesto para caída y para levantamiento de muchos en Israel; y para señal a la que será contradicho;

35 (y una espada traspasará tu misma alma), para que sean manifestados los pensamientos de muchos corazones.

36 Estaba también allí Ana, profetisa, hija de Fanuel, de la tribu de Aser; la cual había venido en grande edad, y había vivido con su marido siete años desde su virginidad;

37 y era viuda hacía ochenta y cuatro años, que no se apartaba del Templo, sirviendo de noche y de día con ayunos y oraciones.

38 Y ésta, sobreviniendo en la misma hora, juntamente confesaba al Señor, y hablaba de él a todos los que esperaban la redención en Jerusalén.

39 Y cuando cumplieron todas las cosas según la ley del Señor, se volvieron a Galilea, a su ciudad de Nazaret.

40 Y el niño crecía, y era confortado del Espíritu, y se llenaba de sabiduría; y la gracia de Dios era sobre él.

41 ¶ E iban sus padres todos los años a Jerusalén en la fiesta de la Pascua.

42 Y cuando fue de doce años, subieron ellos a Jerusalén conforme a la costumbre de la Fiesta.

43 Y acabados los días, volviendo ellos, se quedó el niño Jesús en Jerusalén, sin saberlo José y su madre.

44 Y pensando que estaba en la compañía, anduvieron camino de un día; y le buscaban entre los parientes y entre los conocidos;

45 mas como no le hallaron, volvieron a Jerusalén buscándole.

46 Y aconteció, que después de tres días le hallaron en el Templo, sentado en medio de los doctores, oyéndoles y preguntándoles.

47 Y todos los que le oían, estaban fuera de sí de su entendimiento y de sus respuestas.

48 Y cuando le vieron, se sorprendieron; y le dijo su madre: Hijo, ¿por qué nos has hecho así? He aquí, tu padre y yo te hemos buscado con dolor.

49 Entonces él les dice: ¿Qué hay? ¿Por qué me buscabais? ¿No sabíais que en los negocios que son de mi Padre me conviene estar?

50 Mas ellos no entendieron la palabra que les habló.

51 Y descendió con ellos, y vino a Nazaret, y estaba sujeto a ellos. Y su madre guardaba todas estas cosas en su corazón.

52 Y Jesús crecía en sabiduría, y en edad, y en gracia para con Dios y los hombres.

Jesus is born

At that time, Caesar Augustus made a law. He told his men to count everyone who lived in the countries that he ruled.[a] This was the first time that the Romans had made a list of everyone's names. Quirinius was the Roman ruler of Syria when it happened.

Everyone went to his own home town for the Romans to count them. So Joseph went to his home town, Bethlehem. He was living in the town of Nazareth, in Galilee. Bethlehem was in Judea. King David had been born there, so Bethlehem was called the town of David. Joseph belonged to the family of David. That is why he went to Bethlehem.

Joseph took Mary with him so that the Romans could count them. She went because she had promised to marry him. She was pregnant.

While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her baby to be born. This was her first baby, and it was a boy. She put cloths around him. Then she put him in an animal's food box. She did this because the rooms for visitors were full of people.[b]

Some shepherds leave their sheep to go and see Jesus

That night some shepherds were living out in the fields near Bethlehem. They were keeping their sheep safe. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to them. A bright light from God shone all around them. That frightened them very much. 10 The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen! I bring you good news. This news will make everyone very happy. 11 Something happened today in the town of David. Someone special was born. He is the one who will save you. He is the Messiah. He is the Lord. 12 I will tell you how you will know this baby. You will find him with cloths around him. He is lying in an animal's food box.’

13 At that moment, a great crowd of angels appeared. They were praising God. They said:

14 ‘God is great! He lives in the highest place above.
He will bless the people on earth who please him.
They will have peace in their minds.’

15 After that, the angels went away and returned to heaven. Then the shepherds said to each other, ‘We should leave the sheep and go to Bethlehem immediately! The Lord God has sent his angels to tell us what has happened. We want to see this baby.’

16 So they went quickly to Bethlehem. When they got there, they found Mary and Joseph with the baby. The baby really was lying in a food box. 17 After they had seen the baby, they told everybody about him. They told them what the angel had said to them about him. 18 Many people heard what the shepherds said. They were very surprised. 19 Mary remembered everything that the shepherds had said. She thought about it all for a long time. 20 The shepherds then went back to their sheep. As they went they praised God. ‘How great you are!’ they said to him. ‘How good you are! Everything that the angel told us was true! We have heard good news. We have seen very special things!’

Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the temple

21 When the baby was eight days old, it was time for the priest to circumcise him. His parents gave him the name ‘Jesus’. The angel had told Mary that they must give him that name. He told her that before she had the baby inside her.

22 Long ago, God gave Moses rules for his people to obey. One rule told people how to become clean after a baby was born. The time came for Mary and Joseph to do this. So they took the baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to show him to the Lord.

23 This is the rule which the Lord gave to his people: ‘The first male baby born to a woman belongs to me. So you must bring him to me. 24 When you do this, also bring two special birds for the priest to kill.’ So that is what Mary and Joseph did.[c]

25 At this time, a man called Simeon was living in Jerusalem. He was a good man and he obeyed God. He had waited a long time to see the special person who would save Israel's people. The Holy Spirit was with him. 26 The Holy Spirit had told him, ‘You will not die yet. You know that the Lord God has promised to send his Messiah. You will see him before you die.’ 27 Now the day had come. The Holy Spirit told Simeon that he should go to the temple. Mary and Joseph were bringing the baby Jesus to do what God's rule said. 28 Simeon went to them. He took Jesus and he held him in his arms. Then he thanked God. He said:

29     ‘Master, I am your servant.
    You have done what you promised to me.
    Now I can die with no trouble in my mind.
30     I really have seen the person that you have sent to save your people.
31     You have sent him to the world and people everywhere will know about him.
32     He will bring light to people so that they can know you.
    He will show you to those people who are not Jews.
    He will also show that your people of Israel are very special.’
33 That is what Simeon said about Jesus. His message surprised Mary and Joseph very much.

34 Then Simeon asked God to be good and kind to Mary and to Joseph. After that, he spoke to Mary, the mother of Jesus. He said to her, ‘God has chosen this baby. Many people in Israel will become worse because of him. And many of them will become better again because of him. He will be like a sign that points to God. But many people will speak against him. 35 This will show their secret thoughts about God. This will make you very sad, too. It will seem like a sharp knife is cutting into you. That is how sad you will be’.

36 A very old woman called Anna was also there in the temple. She spoke messages that the Holy Spirit gave to her. She was the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher.[d] She had lived with her husband for seven years and then he had died.

37 After that, she had lived alone until she was 84 years old. Now she never left the temple. She stayed there day and night to worship God. She fasted and she prayed.

38 At that moment, Anna came to where Mary and Joseph were standing in the temple. When she saw the baby, she thanked God for him. Then she began to speak about him to other people there. Many people were waiting for God to make Jerusalem free. These were the people that she spoke to about the child, Jesus.

39 When Mary and Joseph had done everything that God's rules said, they returned home. That was in the town of Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up. God was good and kind to him and he became strong. He learned many things and he could understand them well.

Jesus visits the temple as a young boy

41 Every year, Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.[e]

42 When Jesus was 12 years old, his parents took him with them to Jerusalem. They went as usual for the festival. 43 When the week finished, Mary and Joseph left Jerusalem to return home. But Jesus stayed behind and his parents did not know this. 44 They thought that he was with their group on the way home. They travelled for a whole day. Then they began to look for him among their family and friends.

45 They could not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem. They looked for him there. 46 After three days, they found him in the temple. He was sitting there among the teachers. He was listening to what they were saying. He was also asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard Jesus was very surprised. He understood so many things and he could answer difficult questions. 48 When his parents saw him there, they were also very surprised. His mother said to him, ‘My son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have looked everywhere for you. We have had a lot of troubles in our mind.’

49 Jesus answered them, ‘You should not have needed to look for me. I must be doing what my Father wants me to do. You should have known that.’ 50 But his parents did not understand what he was saying to them.

51 Then Jesus returned to Nazareth with them. He did what they wanted. His mother, Mary, was careful to remember all the special things that had happened. She thought about them a lot. 52 Jesus grew up into a man. He became strong and he could understand more and more things. God was pleased with him, and people were pleased with him too.

Footnotes

  1. 2:1 ‘Caesar’ was the most important Roman ruler. He lived in Rome, the capital city. Many countries in the world came under Rome's authority.
  2. 2:7 The many people that had come to Bethlehem filled the rooms for visitors.
  3. 2:24 The Jews had to obey this rule 40 days after a boy was born. The mother had to go to the temple. If she was poor, she gave two special birds to God. See Leviticus 12:2-8.
  4. 2:36 Asher was one of the sons of Jacob. We can read about the 12 sons of Jacob in Genesis 35:23-26. They were the ancestors of Israel's 12 tribes.
  5. 2:41 Passover week is a very special time for the Jews. A long time ago, the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. God rescued them from there. Every year, the Jews remember this. We can read about the first Passover in Exodus 12.

The Birth of Jesus

In those days Caesar Augustus(A) issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.(B) (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)(C) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem(D) the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him(E) and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel(F) of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.(G) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior(H) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,(I) the Lord.(J) 12 This will be a sign(K) to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace(L) to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.(M) 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.(N) 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God(O) for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child,(P) he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.(Q)

Jesus Presented in the Temple

22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses,(R) Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[b]),(S) 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[c](T)

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.(U) He was waiting for the consolation of Israel,(V) and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,(W) 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,(X)
    you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace.(Y)
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,(Z)
31     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”(AA)

33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:(AB) “This child is destined to cause the falling(AC) and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36 There was also a prophet,(AD) Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[e](AE) She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.(AF) 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.(AG)

39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.(AH) 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.(AI)

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.(AJ) 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed(AK) at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother(AL) said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father(AM) and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[f](AN) 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.(AO)

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them(AP) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.(AQ) 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. Luke 2:2 Or This census took place before
  2. Luke 2:23 Exodus 13:2,12
  3. Luke 2:24 Lev. 12:8
  4. Luke 2:29 Or promised, / now dismiss
  5. Luke 2:37 Or then had been a widow for eighty-four years.
  6. Luke 2:49 Or be about my Father’s business