Old/New Testament

The birth and circumcision of Christ. How he was received into the temple. How Simeon and Anna prophesy of him, and how he was found in the temple among the learned instructors of the Jews.

2 And it happened in those days that there went out a commandment from Augustus the Emperor that all the world should be taxed. ² And this taxing was the first, and executed when Quirinius was governor in Syria. ³ And every man went to his own town to be taxed. ⁴ And Joseph also ascended from Galilee out of a town 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 be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, who was with child.

⁶ And it came to pass while they were there that her time came to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her first begotten son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them within the inn.

⁸ And there were in the same region shepherds abiding in the field and watching their flock by night. ⁹ And lo, the angel of the Lord stood right by them, and the brightness of the Lord shone round about them, and they were very afraid. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, Be not afraid. For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which will come to all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a saviour, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And take this for a sign: you will find the child swaddled and laid in a manger.

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly soldiers, lauding God and saying, ¹⁴ Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth, and to men rejoicing.

¹⁵ And it so was, as soon as the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go straight to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has shown to us. ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe laid in a manger.

¹⁷ And when they had seen this, they proclaimed everywhere the message that had been given them concerning that child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at those things the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary laid up all those sayings, and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, praising and lauding God for all that they had heard and seen, even as it had been told to them.

²¹ And when the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, which was the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²² And when the time of their purification according to the law of Moses came, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the law of the Lord: every man-child that first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), ²⁴ and to offer (as it is said in the law of the Lord) a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.