Luke 2:22-40

Contemporary English Version

Simeon Praises the Lord

²²^(A) The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born.^[a]

They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, ²³^(B) just as the Law of the Lord says, “Each first-born^[b] baby boy belongs to the Lord.” ²⁴The Law of the Lord also says parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did.

²⁵At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for him to save the people of Israel. God's Spirit came to him ²⁶and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord.

²⁷When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. ²⁸Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God,

²⁹“Lord, I am your servant,
    and now I can die in peace,
because you have kept
    your promise to me.
³⁰With my own eyes I have seen
what you have done
    to save your people,
³¹and foreign nations
    will also see this.
³²^(C) Your mighty power is a light
    for all nations,
and it will bring honor
    to your people Israel.”

³³Jesus' parents were surprised at what Simeon had said. ³⁴Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, ³⁵and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”

Anna Speaks about the Child Jesus

³⁶^(D) The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died. ³⁷And now she was 84 years old.^[c] Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating.^[d]

³⁸At this time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹^(E) After Joseph and Mary had done everything that the Law of the Lord commands, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. ⁴⁰The child Jesus grew. He became strong and wise, and God blessed him.

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Footnotes

2.22 after her baby is born: After a Jewish mother gave birth to a son, she was considered “unclean” and had to stay home until he was circumcised (see the note at 1.59). Then she had to stay home for another 33 days, before offering a sacrifice to the Lord.
2.23 first-born: See the note at 2.7.
2.37 And now she was 84 years old: Or “And now she had been a widow for 84 years.”
2.37 without eating: The Jewish people sometimes went without eating (also called “fasting”) to show their love for God or to show sorrow for their sins.