The Conception and Birth of Jesus

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus ^[a]Christ was as follows: when His ^(A)mother Mary had been ^[b]betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was ^(B)found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

¹¹ And after coming into the house they saw the Child with ^(A)Mary His mother; and they ^[a]fell to the ground and ^(B)worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been ^(C)warned ^(D)in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi departed for their own country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, an ^(E)angel of the ^[b]Lord *^(F)appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”

¹⁴ So ^[c]Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and departed for Egypt. ¹⁵ And he ^[d]remained there until the death of Herod, in order that what had been spoken by the ^[e]Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, “^(G)Out of Egypt I called ^(H)My Son.”

Herod Slaughters Children

¹⁶ Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by ^(I)the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and ^(J)slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had carefully determined from the magi. ¹⁷ Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

¹⁹ But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the ^[f]Lord *^(L)appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, ²⁰ “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” ²¹ So ^[g]Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being ^(M)warned by God in a dream, he departed for the district of Galilee, ²³ and came and lived in a city called ^(N)Nazareth, so that what was spoken through the prophets would be fulfilled: “He shall be called a ^(O)Nazarene.”

⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not ^(A)His mother called Mary, and His ^(B)brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

⁴³ And ^[a]how has it happened to me, that the mother of ^(A)my Lord would come to me?

³³ And His father and ^(A)mother were marveling at the things which were being said about Him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary ^(B)His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for ^(C)the fall and ^[a]rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— ³⁵ and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well—that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

³⁶ And there was a ^(D)prophetess, ^[b]Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of ^(E)the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in ^[c]years ^(F)having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷ and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with ^(G)fastings and prayers. ³⁸ And at that very ^[d]moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were ^(H)waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹ And when they had finished everything according to the Law of the ^[e]Lord, they returned to Galilee, to ^(I)their own city of Nazareth. ^40 (J)Now the Child continued to grow and become strong, being filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ And His parents would go to Jerusalem every year at ^(K)the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when He became twelve years old, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; ⁴³ and as they were returning, after finishing the ^(L)days of the Feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents did not know. ⁴⁴ But supposing Him to be in the caravan, they went a day’s journey, and they began searching for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵ When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem searching for Him. ⁴⁶ And it happened that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard Him ^(M)were astounded at His understanding and His answers. ⁴⁸ When they saw Him, they were astonished, and ^(N)His mother said to Him, “Child, why have You treated us this way? Behold, ^(O)Your father and I ^[f]have been anxiously searching for You.” ⁴⁹ And He said to them, “Why is it that you were searching for Me? Did you not know that ^(P)I had to be in My Father’s ^[g]house?” ⁵⁰ But ^(Q)they did not understand the statement which He had spoken to them. ⁵¹ And He went down with them and came to ^(R)Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them, and ^(S)His mother ^(T)was treasuring all these ^[h]things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus was advancing in wisdom and ^[i]stature, and in ^(U)favor with God and men.

⁴⁸ When they saw Him, they were astonished, and ^(A)His mother said to Him, “Child, why have You treated us this way? Behold, ^(B)Your father and I ^[a]have been anxiously searching for You.”

⁵¹ And He went down with them and came to ^(A)Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them, and ^(B)His mother ^(C)was treasuring all these ^[a]things in her heart.

The Wedding at Cana

2 And on ^(A)the third day there was a wedding in ^(B)Cana of Galilee, and the ^(C)mother of Jesus was there;

⁵ His ^(A)mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”