Luke 2:35-45

New American Standard Bible

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 ^(A)prophetess, ^[a]Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of ^(B)the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in ^[b]years ^(C)and had lived with her husband for seven years after her ^[c]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 ^(D)fasts and prayers. ³⁸ And at that very ^[d]moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak about Him to all those who were ^(E)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 ^(F)their own city of Nazareth. ^40 (G)Now the Child continued to grow and to become strong, ^[e]increasing in wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.

Visit to Jerusalem

⁴¹ His parents went to Jerusalem every year at ^(H)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 ^(I)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.