The Birth of Jesus Christ

¹In those days la decree went out from mCaesar Augustus that all the world should be nregistered. ²This was the first nregistration when1 Quirinius owas governor of Syria. ³And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴And Joseph also went up pfrom Galilee, from the town of qNazareth, to Judea, to rthe city of David, which is called sBethlehem, tbecause he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,2 who was with child. ⁶And twhile they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and uwrapped him in swaddling cloths and vlaid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in wthe inn.3

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord xappeared to them, and ythe glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all zthe people. ¹¹For aunto you is born this day in bthe city of David ca Savior, who is dChrist ethe Lord. ¹²And fthis will be a sign for you: you will find a baby gwrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel ha multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴i“Glory to God jin the highest,

jand on earth kpeace lamong those with whom he is pleased!”4

¹⁵When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby mlying in a manger. ¹⁷And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But nMary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰And the shepherds returned, oglorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

²¹And pat the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, qhe was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Presented at the Temple

²²And rwhen the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem sto present him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in tthe Law of the Lord, u“Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in tthe Law of the Lord, v“a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” ²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was wrighteous and xdevout, ywaiting for zthe consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not asee death before he had seen bthe Lord's Christ. ²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when cthe parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ²⁸he took him up in his arms and dblessed God and said,

²⁹“Lord, now you are letting your servant5 depart ein peace,

faccording to your word;

³⁰for gmy eyes have seen your hsalvation

³¹ithat you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

³²ja light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and kfor glory to lyour people Israel.”

³³And mhis father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed nfor the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign othat is opposed ³⁵(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

³⁶And there was pa prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.6 She did not depart from the temple, qworshiping with rfasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were swaiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹And when they had performed everything according to tthe Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of uNazareth. ⁴⁰vAnd the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹Now whis parents went xto Jerusalem every year at ythe Feast of the Passover. ⁴²And when he was twelve years old, zthey went up according to custom. ⁴³And when the feast awas ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. wHis parents did not know it, ⁴⁴but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ⁴⁵and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple, bsitting among cthe teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸And when his parents7 saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, dyour father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” ⁴⁹And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that eI must be in fmy Father's house?”8 ⁵⁰And gthey did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. ⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And hhis mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus iincreased in wisdom and in stature9 and in ifavor with God and man.