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 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 by God ^(D)in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt

¹³ Now when they had gone, behold, an ^(E)angel of the Lord *^(F)appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “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 ^[b]Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. ¹⁵ He ^[c]remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “^(G)Out of Egypt I called ^(H)My Son.”

Herod Slaughters Babies

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 determined from the magi. ¹⁷ Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

¹⁹ But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *^(L)appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 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 ^[d]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 left for the regions of Galilee, ²³ and came and lived in a city called ^(N)Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “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 amazed 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 even your own soul—to the end that 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)and had lived with her husband seven years after her ^[d]marriage, 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 At that very ^[e]moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were ^(H)looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Return to Nazareth

³⁹ When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to ^(I)their own city of Nazareth. ^40 (J)The Child continued to grow and become strong, ^[f]increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

Visit to Jerusalem

⁴¹ Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at ^(K)the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; ⁴³ and as they were returning, after spending the ^(L)full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, ⁴⁴ but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵ When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. ⁴⁶ Then, 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 amazed at His understanding and His answers. ⁴⁸ When they saw Him, they were astonished; and ^(N)His mother said to Him, “^[g]Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, ^(O)Your father and I ^[h]have been anxiously looking for You.” ⁴⁹ And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that ^(P)I had to be in My Father’s ^[i]house?” ⁵⁰ But ^(Q)they did not understand the statement which He ^[j]had made 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)treasured all these ^[k]things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and ^[l]stature, and in ^(U)favor with God and men.

⁴⁸ When they saw Him, they were astonished; and ^(A)His mother said to Him, “^[a]Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, ^(B)Your father and I ^[b]have been anxiously looking 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)treasured all these ^[a]things in her heart.

Miracle at Cana

2 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.”