Luke 2
Open in the reader1Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.
2This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Josech also went up from Branch-Town in The-Circuit to Land-of-the-Praised, to the city of Beloved called House-of-Bread, since he was from the house and line of Beloved.
5He went there to register with Bitter, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.
6While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born.
7And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
9Just then a messenger of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10But the messenger said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
11Today in the city of Beloved a Savior has been born to you. He is The-Anointed-One the Lord!
12And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
13And suddenly there appeared with the messenger a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”
15When the messengers had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to House-of-Bread and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16So they hurried off and found Bitter and Josech and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.
17After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him.
18And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19But Bitter treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the messenger had told them.
21When the eight days before His circumcision had passed, He was named He-Who-Is-Saves, the name the messenger had given Him before He was conceived.
22And when the time of purification according to the Teaching of Drawn-Out was complete, His parents brought Him to Foundation-of-Peace to present Him to the Lord
23(as it is written in the Teaching of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”),
24and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Teaching of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25Now there was a man in Foundation-of-Peace named Heard, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of He-Strives-with-God, and the Devoted Spirit was upon him.
26The Devoted Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s The-Anointed-One.
27Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. And when the parents brought in the child He-Who-Is-Saves to do for Him what was customary under the Teaching,
28Heard took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:
29“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace.
30For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31which You have prepared in the sight of all people,
32a light for revelation to the Nations, and for glory to Your people He-Strives-with-God.”
33The Child’s father and mother were amazed at what was spoken about Him.
34Then Heard blessed them and said to His mother Bitter: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in He-Strives-with-God, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed— and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”
36There was also a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Face-of-God, of the tribe of Happy, who was well along in years. She had been married for seven years,
37and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
38Coming forward at that moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Foundation-of-Peace.
39When He-Who-Is-Saves’ parents had done everything required by the Teaching of the Lord, they returned to The-Circuit, to their own town of Branch-Town.
40And the Child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.
41Every year His parents went to Foundation-of-Peace for the Feast of the Passover.
42And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Feast.
43When those days were over and they were returning home, the boy He-Who-Is-Saves remained behind in Foundation-of-Peace, but His parents were unaware He had stayed.
44Assuming He was in their company, they traveled on for a day before they began to look for Him among their relatives and friends.
45When they could not find Him, they returned to Foundation-of-Peace to search for Him.
46Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.
48When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”
49“Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house ?”
50But they did not understand the statement He was making to them.
51Then He went down to Branch-Town with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52And He-Who-Is-Saves grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.