Christ Born of Mary^(A)

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ^2 (B)This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to ^(C)the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, ^(D)because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, ^(E)his betrothed ^[a]wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And ^(F)she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a ^[b]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And ^[c]behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, ^(G)and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, ^(H)“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy ^(I)which will be to all people. ^11 (J)For there is born to you this day in the city of David ^(K)a Savior, ^(L)who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a ^[d]manger.”

^13 (M)And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made ^[f]widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ^19 (Q)But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and ^(R)praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Circumcision of Jesus

^21 (S)And when eight days were completed ^[g]for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called ^(T)Jesus, the name given by the angel ^(U)before He was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² Now when ^(V)the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ^23 (W)(as it is written in the law of the Lord, ^(X)“Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, ^(Y)“A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Simeon Sees God’s Salvation

²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, ^(Z)waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not ^(AA)see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ So he came ^(AB)by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

^33 [h]And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the ^(AF)fall and rising of many in Israel, and for ^(AG)a sign which will be spoken against ³⁵ (yes, ^(AH)a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Anna Bears Witness to the Redeemer

³⁶ Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of ^(AI)Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; ³⁷ and this woman was a widow ^[i]of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers ^(AJ)night and day. ³⁸ And coming in that instant she gave thanks to ^[j]the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who ^(AK)looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Wise Men from the East

2 Now after ^(A)Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, ^[a]wise men ^(B)from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying, ^(C)“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen ^(D)His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ And when he had gathered all ^(E)the chief priests and ^(F)scribes of the people together, ^(G)he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

⁵ So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the ^[b]wise men, determined from them what time the ^(J)star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, ^(K)they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹² Then, being divinely warned ^(L)in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The Flight into Egypt

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

¹⁴ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, ¹⁵ and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ^(M)“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Massacre of the Innocents

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. ¹⁷ Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: