Luke 2

¹Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled.

²This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

³And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city.

⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;

⁵to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child.

⁶And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered.

⁷And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.

⁹And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people:

¹¹for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.

¹²And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.

¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.

¹⁵And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

¹⁶And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.

¹⁷And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

¹⁸And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.

²¹And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²²And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord

²³(as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord),

²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

²⁶And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, that they might do concerning him after the custom of the law,

²⁸then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

²⁹Now lettest thou thy servant depart, Lord, According to thy word, in peace;

³⁰For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

³¹Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;

³²A light for revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of thy people Israel.

³³And his father and his mother were marvelling at the things which were spoken concerning him;

³⁴and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against;

³⁵yea and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.

³⁶And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,

³⁷and she had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), who departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day.

³⁸And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God, and spake of him to all them that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹And when they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

⁴⁰And the child grew, and waxed strong, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

⁴¹And his parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover.

⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up after the custom of the feast;

⁴³and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not;

⁴⁴but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey; and they sought for him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance:

⁴⁵and when they found him not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking for him.

⁴⁶And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions:

⁴⁷and all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

⁴⁸And when they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing.

⁴⁹And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house?

⁵⁰And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

⁵¹And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and he was subject unto them: and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Luke 2

¹And it came to pass in those days, there went forth a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world be enrolled

²this enrolment first came to pass when Cyrenius was governor of Syria

³and all were going to be enrolled, each to his proper city,

⁴and Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, that is called Bethlehem, because of his being of the house and family of David,

⁵to enrol himself with Mary his betrothed wife, being with child.

⁶And it came to pass, in their being there, the days were fulfilled for her bringing forth,

⁷and she brought forth her sonthe first-born, and wrapped him up, and laid him down in the manger, because there was not for them a place in the guest-chamber.

⁸And there were shepherds in the same region, lodging in the field, and keeping the night-watches over their flock,

⁹and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood over them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared a great fear.

¹⁰And the messenger said to them, `Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to all the people

¹¹because there was born to you to-day a Saviourwho is Christ the Lordin the city of David,

¹²and this is to you the sign: Ye shall find a babe wrapped up, lying in the manger.'

¹³And suddenly there came with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying,

¹⁴`Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among mengood will.'

¹⁵And it came to pass, when the messengers were gone away from them to the heavens, that the men, the shepherds, said unto one another, `We may go over indeed unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that hath come to pass, that the Lord did make known to us.'

¹⁶And they came, having hasted, and found both Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger,

¹⁷and having seen, they made known abroad concerning the saying spoken to them concerning the child.

¹⁸And all who heard, did wonder concerning the things spoken by the shepherds unto them;

¹⁹and Mary was preserving all these things, pondering in her heart;

²⁰and the shepherds turned back, glorifying and praising God, for all those things they heard and saw, as it was spoken unto them.

²¹And when eight days were fulfilled to circumcise the child, then was his name called Jesus, having been so called by the messenger before his being conceived in the womb.

²²And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present to the Lord,

²³as it hath been written in the Law of the Lord, `Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord,'

²⁴and to give a sacrifice, according to that said in the Law of the Lord, `A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.'

²⁵And lo, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name is Simeon, and this man is righteous and devout, looking for the comforting of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him,

²⁶and it hath been divinely told him by the Holy Spiritnot to see death before he may see the Christ of the Lord.

²⁷And he came in the Spirit to the temple, and in the parents bringing in the child Jesus, for their doing according to the custom of the law regarding him,

²⁸then he took him in his arms, and blessed God, and he said,

²⁹`Now Thou dost send away Thy servant, Lord, according to Thy word, in peace,

³⁰because mine eyes did see Thy salvation,

³¹which Thou didst prepare before the face of all the peoples,

³²a light to the uncovering of nations, and the glory of Thy people Israel.'

³³And Joseph and his mother were wondering at the things spoken concerning him,

³⁴and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, `Lo, this one is set for the falling and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against

³⁵(and also thine own soul shall a sword pass through) that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed.'

³⁶And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, she was much advanced in days, having lived with an husband seven years from her virginity,

³⁷and she is a widow of about eighty-four years, who did depart not from the temple, with fasts and supplications serving, night and day,

³⁸and she, at that hour, having come in, was confessing, likewise, to the Lord, and was speaking concerning him, to all those looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

³⁹And when they finished all things, according to the Law of the Lord, they turned back to Galilee, to their city Nazareth;

⁴⁰and the child grew and was strengthened in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

⁴¹And his parents were going yearly to Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover,

⁴²and when he became twelve years old, they having gone up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast,

⁴³and having finished the days, in their returning the child Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother did not know,

⁴⁴and, having supposed him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and were seeking him among the kindred and among the acquaintances,

⁴⁵and not having found him, they turned back to Jerusalem seeking him.

⁴⁶And it came to pass, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them,

⁴⁷and all those hearing him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

⁴⁸And, having seen him, they were amazed, and his mother said unto him, `Child, why didst thou thus to us? lo, thy father and I, sorrowing, were seeking thee.'

⁴⁹And he said unto them, `Why is it that ye were seeking me? did ye not know that in the things of my Father it behoveth me to be?'

⁵⁰and they did not understand the saying that he spake to them,

⁵¹and he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them, and his mother was keeping all these sayings in her heart,

⁵²and Jesus was advancing in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour with God and men.