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Luke 2:41-52
New International Version
Luke 2:41-52
New International Version
The Boy Jesus at the Temple
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.(A) 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(B) at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother(C) said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father(D) 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?”[a](E) 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.(F)
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them(G) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.(H) 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.(I)
Footnotes
- Luke 2:49 Or be about my Father’s business
Luke 2:41-52
New King James Version
Luke 2:41-52
New King James Version
The Boy Jesus Amazes the Scholars
41 His parents went to (A)Jerusalem (B)every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the (C)custom of the feast. 43 When they had finished the (D)days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And [a]Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 Now so it was 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. 47 And (E)all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be (F)about (G)My Father’s business?” 50 But (H)they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
Jesus Advances in Wisdom and Favor
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was [b]subject to them, but His mother (I)kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus (J)increased in wisdom and stature, (K)and in favor with God and men.
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Luke 2:41-52
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Luke 2:41-52
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.(A) 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents were unaware of this. 44 Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.(B) 48 When his parents[a] saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.”(C) 49 He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”[b](D) 50 But they did not understand what he said to them.(E) 51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them, and his mother treasured all these things in her heart.(F)
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years[c] and in divine and human favor.(G)
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Luke 2:41-52
The Message
Luke 2:41-52
The Message
They Found Him in the Temple
41-45 Every year Jesus’ parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up as they always did for the Feast. When it was over and they left for home, the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn’t know it. Thinking he was somewhere in the company of pilgrims, they journeyed for a whole day and then began looking for him among relatives and neighbors. When they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem looking for him.
46-48 The next day they found him in the Temple seated among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. The teachers were all quite taken with him, impressed with the sharpness of his answers. But his parents were not impressed; they were upset and hurt.
His mother said, “Young man, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been half out of our minds looking for you.”
49-50 He said, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be here, dealing with the things of my Father?” But they had no idea what he was talking about.
51-52 So he went back to Nazareth with them, and lived obediently with them. His mother held these things dearly, deep within herself. And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people.
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New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson