Luke 2:41-52

New Testament for Everyone

The boy Jesus

⁴¹ Jesus’ parents used to go to Jerusalem every year for the Passover festival. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. ⁴³ When the feast days were over, they began the journey back, but the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t know; ⁴⁴ they thought he was in the traveling party. They went a day’s journey before looking for him among their relatives and friends.

⁴⁵ When they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ And so it happened that after three days they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was astonished at his understanding and his answers.

⁴⁸ When they saw him they were quite overwhelmed.

“Child,” said his mother, “why did you do this to us? Look—your father and I have been in a terrible state looking for you!”

⁴⁹ “Why were you looking for me?” he replied. “Didn’t you know that I would have to be involved with my father’s work?”

⁵⁰ They didn’t understand what he had said to them. ⁵¹ He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and lived under their authority. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.

⁵² So Jesus became wiser and taller, gaining favor both with God and with the people.