Luke 2
Revised Geneva Translation
2 And it happened in those days that there came a decree from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be registered.
2 (This first registration was made when Quirinius was Governor of Syria.)
3 Therefore, all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee (out of a city called Nazareth) into Judea (to the city of David - which is called Bethlehem - because he was of the House and lineage of David)
5 to register with Mary (his betrothed), who was with child.
6 And so it was that while they were there, the days were completed that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her first begotten Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a feeding trough (because there was no room for them in the inn).
8 And there were in that same country, shepherds, abiding in the field, and keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them. And the Glory of the Lord shone about them. And they were very afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people.
11 “For to you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.
12 “And this shall be a sign to you - you shall find the Baby swaddled and laid in a feeding trough.”
13 And immediately, there was with the Angel a multitude of Heavenly soldiers, praising God, and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the High Heaven! Peace on Earth, and to man, according to His good pleasure!”
15 And it came to pass, when the angels had gone away from them into Heaven, the shepherds said one to another, “Let us go to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing which has happened, which the Lord has shown to us.”
16 So they came quickly, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the Baby laid in the feeding trough.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known the thing which was told to them about that Child.
18 And all who heard it, marveled at the things which were told to them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary preserved all those sayings and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen as it was spoken to them.
21 And when the eighth day had come (on which they circumcised the Child), His Name was then called “Jesus” - which was named by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of her purification were completed (according to the Law of Moses), they brought Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord,
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be called holy to the Lord.”)
24 and to give an oblation - as is commanded in the Law of the Lord - a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was just and feared God and waited for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was declared to him from God by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Anointed of the Lord.
27 And he was led by the Spirit into the Temple. And when the parents brought in the Baby Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the Law,
28 he then took Him in his arms and praised God, and said,
29 “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word!
30 “For my eyes have seen Your Salvation
31 “(which You have prepared before the face of all people);
32 “a Light to be revealed to the Gentiles and the Glory of Your people, Israel!”
33 And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken about Him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against,
35 Yes, and a sword shall pierce through your soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be opened.”
36 And there was a prophetess - one Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher - who was of a great age (after she had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity).
37 And she had been widowed for about 84 years and had never left the Temple; but had served God with fasting and prayers night and day.
38 Then, coming upon them at that same instant, she likewise confessed the Lord, and spoke of Him to all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And when they had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
40 And the Child grew, and became strong in Spirit, and was filled with wisdom. And the grace of God was with Him.
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42 And when He was twelve years old, and they had come up to Jerusalem (after the custom of the feast),
43 and had finished the days and were returning, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And neither Joseph nor his mother, Mary, knew.
44 But they, supposing that He had been in their company, went a day’s journey and sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances.
45 And when they did not find Him, they turned back to Jerusalem and sought Him.
46 And it happened that after three days they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, hearing them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed. And His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You dealt with us like this? Behold, Your father and I have sought You with very heavy hearts.”
49 Then He said to them, “How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must go about My Father’s business?”
50 But they did not understand the Word that He spoke to them.
51 Then He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. And His mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom, and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Luke 2
The Message
The Birth of Jesus
2 1-5 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.
6-7 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.
An Event for Everyone
8-12 There were shepherds camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”
13-14 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:
Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
15-18 As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the shepherds talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the shepherds were impressed.
19-20 Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The shepherds returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!
Blessings
21 When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived.
22-24 Then when the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, they took him up to Jerusalem to offer him to God as commanded in God’s Law: “Every male who opens the womb shall be a holy offering to God,” and also to sacrifice the “pair of doves or two young pigeons” prescribed in God’s Law.
25-32 In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died. Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:
God, you can now release your servant;
release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
and of glory for your people Israel.
33-35 Jesus’ father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother,
This child marks both the failure and
the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
as God reveals who they really are.
36-38 Anna the prophetess was also there, a daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was by now a very old woman. She had been married seven years and a widow for eighty-four. She never left the Temple area, worshiping night and day with her fastings and prayers. At the very time Simeon was praying, she showed up, broke into an anthem of praise to God, and talked about the child to all who were waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem.
39-40 When they finished everything required by God in the Law, they returned to Galilee and their own town, Nazareth. There the child grew strong in body and wise in spirit. And the grace of God was on him.
They Found Him in the Temple
41-45 Every year Jesus’ parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up as they always did for the Feast. When it was over and they left for home, the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn’t know it. Thinking he was somewhere in the company of pilgrims, they journeyed for a whole day and then began looking for him among relatives and neighbors. When they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem looking for him.
46-48 The next day they found him in the Temple seated among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. The teachers were all quite taken with him, impressed with the sharpness of his answers. But his parents were not impressed; they were upset and hurt.
His mother said, “Young man, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been half out of our minds looking for you.”
49-50 He said, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be here, dealing with the things of my Father?” But they had no idea what he was talking about.
51-52 So he went back to Nazareth with them, and lived obediently with them. His mother held these things dearly, deep within herself. And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people.
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