Lucas 2
Traducción en lenguaje actual
El nacimiento de Jesús
2 Poco antes de que Jesús naciera, Augusto, emperador de Roma, mandó hacer un censo, es decir, una lista de toda la gente que vivía en el Imperio Romano. 2 En ese tiempo, Quirinio era el gobernador de Siria, y fue el responsable de hacer este primer censo en la región de Palestina.
3 Todos tenían que ir al pueblo de donde era su familia, para que anotaran sus nombres en esa lista. 4 José pertenecía a la familia de David. Y como vivía en Nazaret, tuvo que ir a Belén para que lo anotaran, porque mucho tiempo antes allí había nacido el rey David. 5 Lo acompañó María, su esposa, que estaba embarazada.
6 Mientras estaban en Belén, a María le llegó la hora de tener 7 su primer hijo.[a] Como no encontraron ningún cuarto donde pasar la noche, los hospedaron en el lugar de la casa donde se cuidan los animales. Cuando el niño nació, María lo envolvió en pañales y lo acostó en un pesebre.[b]
8 Esa misma noche, unos pastores estaban cuidando sus ovejas cerca de Belén. 9 De pronto, un ángel de Dios se les apareció, y la gloria de Dios brilló alrededor de ellos. Los pastores se asustaron mucho, 10 pero el ángel les dijo: «No tengan miedo. Les traigo una buena noticia que los dejará muy contentos: 11 ¡Su Salvador acaba de nacer en Belén! ¡Es el Mesías, el Señor! 12 Lo reconocerán porque está durmiendo en un pesebre, envuelto en pañales.»
13 De pronto, muchos ángeles aparecieron en el cielo y alababan a Dios cantando:
14 «¡Gloria a Dios en el cielo,
y paz en la tierra
para todos los que Dios ama!»
15 Después de que los ángeles volvieron al cielo, los pastores se dijeron unos a otros: «¡Vayamos corriendo a Belén para ver esto que Dios nos ha anunciado!»
16 Los pastores fueron de prisa a Belén, y encontraron a María y a José, y al niño acostado en el pesebre. 17 Luego salieron y contaron lo que el ángel les había dicho acerca del niño. 18 Todos los que estaban allí se admiraron al oírlos.
19 María quedó muy impresionada por todo lo que estaba sucediendo, y no dejaba de pensar en eso.
20 Finalmente, los pastores regresaron a cuidar sus ovejas. Por el camino iban alabando a Dios y dándole gracias por lo que habían visto y oído. Todo había pasado tal y como el ángel les había dicho.
21 Cuando Jesús cumplió ocho días de nacido, lo circuncidaron y le pusieron por nombre Jesús. Así lo había pedido el ángel, cuando le anunció a María que iba a tener un hijo.
Jesús y Simeón
22 Cuarenta días después de que Jesús nació, sus padres lo llevaron al templo de Jerusalén para presentarlo delante de Dios. 23 Así lo ordenaba la ley que dio Moisés: «Cuando el primer niño que nace es un varón, hay que dedicárselo a Dios.» 24 La ley también decía que debían presentar, como ofrenda a Dios, dos pichones de paloma o dos tórtolas.
25 En ese tiempo había en Jerusalén un hombre llamado Simeón, que obedecía a Dios y lo amaba mucho. Vivía esperando que Dios libertara al pueblo de Israel. El Espíritu Santo estaba sobre Simeón, 26 y le había dicho que no iba a morir sin ver antes al Mesías que Dios les había prometido.
27 Ese día, el Espíritu Santo le ordenó a Simeón que fuera al templo.
Cuando los padres de Jesús entraron en el templo con el niño, para cumplir lo que mandaba la ley, 28 Simeón lo tomó en sus brazos y alabó a Dios diciendo:
29 «Ahora, Dios mío,
puedes dejarme morir en paz.
»¡Ya cumpliste tu promesa!
30 »Con mis propios ojos
he visto al Salvador,
31 a quien tú enviaste
y al que todos los pueblos verán.
32 »Él será una luz
que alumbrará
a todas las naciones,
y será la honra
de tu pueblo Israel.»
33 José y María quedaron maravillados por las cosas que Simeón decía del niño.
34 Simeón los bendijo, y le dijo a María: «Dios envió a este niño para que muchos en Israel se salven, y para que otros sean castigados. Él será una señal de advertencia, y muchos estarán en su contra. 35 Así se sabrá lo que en verdad piensa cada uno. Y a ti, María, esto te hará sufrir como si te clavaran una espada en el corazón.»
Jesús y la profetisa Ana
36 En el templo estaba también una mujer muy anciana, que era profetisa. Se llamaba Ana, era hija de Penuel y pertenecía a la tribu de Aser. Cuando Ana era joven, estuvo casada durante siete años, 37 pero ahora era viuda y tenía ochenta y cuatro años de edad. Se pasaba noche y día en el templo ayunando, orando y adorando a Dios.
38 Cuando Simeón terminó de hablar, Ana se acercó y comenzó a alabar a Dios, y a hablar acerca del niño Jesús a todos los que esperaban que Dios liberara a Jerusalén.
39 Por su parte, José y María cumplieron con todo lo que mandaba la ley de Dios y volvieron a su pueblo Nazaret, en la región de Galilea.
40 El niño Jesús crecía en estatura y con poder espiritual. Estaba lleno de sabiduría, y Dios estaba muy contento con él.
Jesús en el templo
41 José y María iban todos los años a la ciudad de Jerusalén para celebrar la fiesta de la Pascua. 42 Cuando Jesús cumplió doce años, los acompañó a Jerusalén.
43 Al terminar los días de la fiesta, sus padres regresaron a su casa; pero, sin que se dieran cuenta, Jesús se quedó en Jerusalén. 44 José y María caminaron un día entero, pensando que Jesús iba entre los compañeros de viaje. Después lo buscaron entre los familiares y conocidos, 45 pero no lo encontraron. Entonces volvieron a Jerusalén para buscarlo.
46 Al día siguiente encontraron a Jesús en el templo, en medio de los maestros de la Ley. Él los escuchaba con atención y les hacía preguntas. 47 Todos estaban admirados de su inteligencia y de las respuestas que daba a las preguntas que le hacían.
48 Sus padres se sorprendieron al verlo, y su madre le reclamó:
—¡Hijo! ¿Por qué nos has hecho esto? Tu padre y yo te hemos buscado. Estábamos muy preocupados por ti.
49 Pero Jesús les respondió:
—¿Y por qué me buscaban? ¿No sabían que yo debo estar en la casa de mi Padre?
50 Ellos no entendieron lo que quiso decirles.
51 Entonces Jesús volvió con sus padres a Nazaret, y los obedecía en todo.
Su madre pensaba mucho en todo lo que había pasado. 52 Mientras tanto, Jesús seguía creciendo en sabiduría y en estatura. Dios y toda la gente del pueblo estaban muy contentos con él, y lo querían mucho.
Luke 2
New American Standard Bible
Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem
2 Now in those days a decree went out from (A)Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of (B)all [a]the inhabited earth. 2 [b]This was the first census taken while [c]Quirinius was governor of (C)Syria. 3 And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because (D)he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was [d]betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the [e]time came for her to give birth. 7 And she (E)gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a [f]manger, because there was no [g]room for them in the inn.
8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. 9 And (F)an angel of the Lord suddenly (G)stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 And so the angel said to them, “(H)Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a (I)Savior, who is [h](J)Christ (K)the Lord. 12 And (L)this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a [i]manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly [j]army of angels praising God and saying,
15 When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the [l]manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary (O)treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds went back, (P)glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
Jesus Presented at the Temple
21 And when (Q)eight days were completed [m]so that it was time for His circumcision, (R)He was also named Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
22 (S)And when the days for [n]their purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “(T)Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord: “(U)A pair of turtledoves or two young doves.”
25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was (V)righteous and devout, (W)looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And (X)it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not (Y)see death before he had seen the Lord’s [o]Christ. 27 And he came [p]by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, [q](Z)to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 “Now, Lord, You are letting Your bond-servant depart in peace,
(AA)According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have (AB)seen Your salvation,
31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all the peoples:
32 (AC)A light for revelation [r]for the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 And His father and (AD)mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to (AE)His mother Mary, “Behold, this Child is appointed for (AF)the fall and [s]rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be [t]opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was a (AG)prophetess, [u]Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of (AH)the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in [v]years (AI)and had lived with her husband for seven years after her [w]marriage, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She did not leave the temple grounds, serving night and day with (AJ)fasts and prayers. 38 And at that very [x]moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak about Him to all those who were (AK)looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Return to Nazareth
39 And when His parents had completed everything in accordance with the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to (AL)their own city of Nazareth. 40 (AM)Now the Child continued to grow and to become strong, [y]increasing in wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.
Visit to Jerusalem
41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at (AN)the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up there according to the custom of the feast; 43 and as they were returning, after spending the (AO)full number of days required, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents were unaware of it. 44 Instead, they thought that He was somewhere in the caravan, and they went a day’s journey; and then they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 And when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him. 46 Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him (AP)were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 When Joseph and Mary saw Him, they were bewildered; and (AQ)His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, (AR)Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You!” 49 And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that (AS)I had to be in My Father’s [z]house?” 50 And yet (AT)they on their part did not understand the statement which He had [aa]made to them. 51 And He went down with them and came to (AU)Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and (AV)His mother (AW)treasured all these [ab]things in her heart.
52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and [ac]stature, and in (AX)favor with God and people.
Footnotes
- Luke 2:1 I.e., the Roman Empire
- Luke 2:2 Or This took place as a first census
- Luke 2:2 Gr Kyrenios
- Luke 2:5 Unlike engagement, a betrothed couple was considered married, but did not yet live together
- Luke 2:6 Lit days were completed
- Luke 2:7 Or feeding trough
- Luke 2:7 Or space
- Luke 2:11 I.e., the Messiah
- Luke 2:12 Or feeding trough
- Luke 2:13 Or host
- Luke 2:14 Lit of good pleasure; or of goodwill
- Luke 2:16 Or feeding trough
- Luke 2:21 Lit so as to circumcise Him
- Luke 2:22 I.e., Mary’s, with Joseph’s support
- Luke 2:26 I.e., Messiah
- Luke 2:27 Or in
- Luke 2:27 Lit to do for Him according to
- Luke 2:32 Lit of the Gentiles
- Luke 2:34 Or resurrection
- Luke 2:34 Or refused
- Luke 2:36 Or Hannah
- Luke 2:36 Lit days
- Luke 2:36 Lit virginity
- Luke 2:38 Lit hour
- Luke 2:40 Lit becoming full of
- Luke 2:49 Or affairs; or business; lit in the things of My Father
- Luke 2:50 Lit spoken
- Luke 2:51 Lit words
- Luke 2:52 Or age
Copyright © 2000 by United Bible Societies
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
