Luke 2:22-35

New International Version

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²²When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses,^(A) 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”^[a]),^(B) ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”^[b]^(C)

²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.^(D) He was waiting for the consolation of Israel,^(E) and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷Moved 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,^(F) ²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

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

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

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Footnotes

Luke 2:23 Exodus 13:2,12
Luke 2:24 Lev. 12:8
Luke 2:29 Or promised, / now dismiss

1 Corinthians 1:26-28

New International Version

²⁶Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.^(A) Not many of you were wise^(B) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose^(C) the foolish^(D) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not^(E)—to nullify the things that are,

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Isaiah 56:1-8

New International Version

Salvation for Others

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice^(A)
    and do what is right,^(B)
for my salvation^(C) is close at hand
    and my righteousness^(D) will soon be revealed.
²Blessed^(E) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath^(F) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

³Let no foreigner^(G) who is bound to the Lord say,
“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”^(H)
And let no eunuch^(I) complain,
“I am only a dry tree.”

⁴For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs^(J) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant^(K)—
⁵to them I will give within my temple and its walls^(L)
    a memorial^(M) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name^(N)
    that will endure forever.^(O)
⁶And foreigners^(P) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister^(Q) to him,
to love the name^(R) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath^(S) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
⁷these I will bring to my holy mountain^(T)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices^(U)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.^(V)”^(W)
⁸The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather^(X) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”