Luke 2

¹And it was don in tho daies, a maundement wente out fro the emperour August, that al the world schulde be discryued.

²This firste discryuyng was maad of Cyryn, iustice of Sirie.

³And alle men wenten to make professioun, ech in to his owne citee.

⁴And Joseph wente vp fro Galilee, fro the citee Nazareth, in to Judee, in to a citee of Dauid, that is clepid Bethleem, for that he was of the hous and of the meyne of Dauid,

⁵that he schulde knouleche with Marie, his wijf, that was weddid to hym, and was greet with child.

⁶And it was don, while thei weren there, the daies weren fulfillid, that sche schulde bere child.

⁷And sche bare hir first borun sone, and wlappide hym in clothis, and leide hym in a cratche, for ther was no place to hym in no chaumbir.

⁸And scheepherdis weren in the same cuntre, wakynge and kepynge the watchis of the nyyt on her flok.

⁹And lo! the aungel of the Lord stood bisidis hem, and the cleernesse of God schinede aboute hem; and thei dredden with greet drede.

¹⁰And the aungel seide to hem, Nyle ye drede; for lo! Y preche to you a greet ioye, that schal be to al puple.

¹¹For a sauyoure is borun to dai to you, that is Crist the Lord, in the citee of Dauid.

¹²And this is a tokene to you; ye schulen fynde a yong child wlappid in clothis, and leid in a cratche.

¹³And sudenli ther was maad with the aungel a multitude of heuenli knyythod, heriynge God,

¹⁴and seiynge, Glorie be in the hiyeste thingis to God, and in erthe pees be to men of good wille.

¹⁵And it was don, as the `aungelis passiden awei fro hem in to heuene, the scheephirdis spaken togider, and seiden, Go we ouer to Bethleem, and se we this word that is maad, which the Lord hath `maad, and schewide to vs.

¹⁶And thei hiyynge camen, and founden Marie and Joseph, and the yong child leid in a cratche.

¹⁷And thei seynge, knewen of the word that was seid to hem of this child.

¹⁸And alle men that herden wondriden, and of these thingis that weren seid to hem of the scheephirdis.

¹⁹But Marie kepte alle these wordis, berynge togider in hir herte.

²⁰And the scheepherdis turneden ayen, glorifyinge and heriynge God in alle thingis that thei hadden herd and seyn, as it was seid to hem.

²¹And aftir that the eiyte daies weren endid, that the child schulde be circumcided, his name was clepid Jhesus, which was clepid of the aungel, bifor that he was conceyued in the wombe.

²²And aftir that the daies of the purgacioun of Marie weren fulfillid, aftir Moyses lawe, thei token hym into Jerusalem, to offre hym to the Lord, as it is writun in the lawe of the Lord,

²³For euery male kynde openynge the wombe, schal be clepid holi to the Lord; and that thei schulen yyue an offryng,

²⁴aftir that it is seid in the lawe of the Lord, A peire of turturis, or twei culuer briddis.

²⁵And lo! a man was in Jerusalem, whos name was Symeon; and this man was iust and vertuous, and aboode the coumfort of Israel; and the Hooli Goost was in hym.

²⁶And he hadde takun an answere of the Hooli Goost, that he schulde not se deeth, but he sawy first the Crist of the Lord.

²⁷And he cam in spirit into the temple. And whanne his fadir and modir ledden the child Jhesu to do aftir the custom of the lawe for hym,

²⁸he took hym in to hise armes, and he blesside God,

²⁹and seide, Lord, now thou leuyst thi seruaunt aftir thi word in pees;

³⁰for myn iyen han seyn thin helthe,

³¹which thou hast maad redi bifor the face of alle puplis;

³²liyt to the schewyng of hethene men, and glorie of thi puple Israel.

³³And his fadir and his modir weren wondrynge on these thingis, that weren seid of hym.

³⁴And Symeon blesside hem, and seide to Marie, his modir, Lo! this is set in to the fallyng doun and in to the risyng ayen of many men in Israel, and in to a tokene, to whom it schal be ayenseid.

³⁵And a swerd schal passe thorou thin owne soule, that the thouytis ben schewid of many hertis.

³⁶And Anna was a prophetesse, the douytir of Fanuel, of the lynage of Aser. And sche hadde goon forth in many daies, and hadde lyued with hir hosebonde seuene yeer fro hir maydynhode.

³⁷And this was a widewe to foure scoor yeer and foure; and sche departide not fro the temple, but seruyde to God nyyt and dai in fastyngis and preieris.

³⁸And this cam vpon hem in thilk our, and knoulechide to the Lord, and spak of hym to alle that abiden the redempcioun of Israel.

³⁹And as thei hadden ful don alle thingis, aftir the lawe of the Lord, thei turneden ayen in to Galilee, in to her citee Nazareth.

⁴⁰And the child wexe, and was coumfortid, ful of wisdom; and the grace of God was in hym.

⁴¹And his fadir and modir wenten ech yeer in to Jerusalem, in the solempne dai of pask.

⁴²And whanne Jhesus was twelue yeer oold, thei wenten vp to Jerusalem, aftir the custom of the feeste dai.

⁴³And whanne the daies weren don, thei turneden ayen; and the child abood in Jerusalem, and his fadir and modir knewen it not.

⁴⁴For thei gessynge that he hadde be in the felowschip, camen a daies iourney, and souyten hym among hise cosyns and hise knouleche.

⁴⁵And whanne thei founden hym not, thei turneden ayen in to Jerusalem, and souyten hym.

⁴⁶And it bifelle, that aftir the thridde dai thei founden hym in the temple, sittynge in the myddil of the doctours, herynge hem and axynge hem.

⁴⁷And alle men that herden hym, wondriden on the prudence and the answeris of hym.

⁴⁸And thei seyn, and wondriden. And his modir seide to hym, Sone, what hast thou do to vs thus? Lo! thi fadir and Y sorewynge han souyte thee.

⁴⁹And he seide to hem, What is it that ye souyten me? wisten ye not that in tho thingis that ben of my fadir, it behoueth me to be?

⁵⁰And thei vndurstoden not the word, which he spak to hem.

⁵¹And he cam doun with hem, and cam to Nazareth, and was suget to hem. And his moder kepte togidir alle these wordis, and bare hem in hir herte.

⁵²And Jhesus profitide in wisdom, age, and grace, anentis 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.