Luke 2

¹And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be registered.

²(This registering was the first made while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

³And all went to be registered, each to his own city.

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

⁵to be registered with Mary who had been betrothed to him, who was with child.

⁶And it came to pass, while they were there, that the days for her delivery were completed.

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

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

⁹And an angel of the Lord came to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were in great fear.

¹⁰And the angel said to them, Fear not; for lo! I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to the whole people;

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

¹²And this shall be the sign to you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swathing-clothes, [lying] in a manger.

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

¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will!"

¹⁵And it came to pass, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said one to another, Let us go at once to Bethlehem, and see that which hath come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us.

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

¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known abroad what had been told them concerning this child.

¹⁸And all who heard wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all which they had heard and seen, as had been told them.

²¹And when eight days were completed for him to be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

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

²³as it is written in the law of the Lord: "Every first-born male shall be called holy to the Lord,"

²⁴and to offer a sacrifice, according to what is directed 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 was Simeon; and he was a righteous and devout man, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was upon him;

²⁶and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,

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

²⁹Lord! now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;

³⁰for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

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

³²a light to enlighten the gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

³³And his father and his mother marveled at what was spoken concerning him.

³⁴And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that will be spoken against; —

³⁵yea, a sword will pierce through thine own soul,—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

³⁶And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel: of the tribe of Asher; she was of great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;

³⁷and she was a widow eighty-four years old, who never left the temple, worshipping with fastings and prayers night and day.

³⁸And she came up at this very time, and gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

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

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

⁴¹Now his parents used to go yearly to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover.

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

⁴³and had completed the days, on their returning, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents did not know it,

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

⁴⁵and not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem in search of him.

⁴⁶And it came to pass, 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.

⁴⁷And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and his answers.

⁴⁸And when they saw him, they were amazed; and his mother said to him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have been seeking thee in much distress.

⁴⁹And he said to them, Why is it that ye have been seeking me? Did ye not know that I must be about my Father’s business?

⁵⁰And they understood not what he spoke to them.

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

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

Luke 2

¹And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

²(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

³And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

⁵To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

⁶And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

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

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

⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

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

¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men.

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

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

¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

¹⁸And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

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

²¹And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²²And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him 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 the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

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

²⁷And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

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

²⁹Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

³⁰For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

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

³²A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

³³And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

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

³⁵(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

³⁶And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;

³⁷And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

³⁸And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

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

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

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

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

⁴³And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

⁴⁴But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

⁴⁵And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

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

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

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

⁴⁹And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

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

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

⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.