Birth, Parentage, Infancy and Boyhood

5 In the reign of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division called after Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.

8 One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his division, 9 it fell to him by lot, in accordance with the practice among the priests, to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense; 10 and, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside. 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense. 12 Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck. 13 But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, whom you will call by the name John. 14 He will be to you a joy and a delight; and many will rejoice over his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will not drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth, 16 and will reconcile many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will go before him in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, to reconcile fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.’

18 ‘How can I be sure of this?’ Zechariah asked the angel. ‘For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.’

19 ‘I am Gabriel,’ the angel answered, ‘who stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course.’

21 Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple. 22 When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb. 23 And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home. 24 After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and lived in seclusion for five months. 25 ‘The Lord has done this for me,’ she said, ‘he has shown me kindness and taken away the public disgrace of childlessness under which I have been living.’Titleless Section Break

26 Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a maiden there who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary. 28 Gabriel came into her presence and greeted her, saying, ‘You have been shown great favour – the Lord is with you.’

29 Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean, 30 when the angel spoke again, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And now, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus. 32 The child will be great and will be called “Son of the Most High,” and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David, 33 and he will reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there will be no end.’

34 ‘How can this be?’ Mary asked the angel. ‘For I have no husband.’

35 ‘The Holy Spirit will descend on you,’ answered the angel, ‘and the Power of the Most High will overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called “holy,” and “Son of God.” 36 And Elizabeth, your cousin, is herself also expecting a son in her old age; and it is now the sixth month with her, though she is called barren; 37 for no promise from God will fail to be fulfilled.’

38 ‘I am the servant of the Lord,’ exclaimed Mary. ‘Let it be with me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.

39 Soon after this Mary set out, and made her way quickly into the hill-country, to a town in Judah; 40 and there she went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child moved within her, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and cried aloud, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child! 43 But how have I this honour, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight! 45 Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled.’

46 And Mary said:

‘My soul exalts the Lord,

47 and my spirit delights in God my Saviour,

48 for he has looked with favour on his humble servant girl.

From now on all generations will call me blessed!

49 ‘For the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50 He has mercy on those who revere him

in every generation.

51 ‘Mighty are the deeds of his arm!

He has scattered the self-satisfied proud,

52 he has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and he uplifts the humble,

53 he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

54 ‘He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel,

ever mindful of his mercy,

55 as he promised to our ancestors,

to Abraham and his descendants for ever.’

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home. 57 When Elizabeth’s time came, she gave birth to a son; 58 and her neighbours and relatives, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy. 59 A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him Zechariah after his father, 60 when his mother spoke up, ‘No, he is to be called John.’

61 ‘You have no relation of that name!’ they exclaimed; 62 and they made signs to the child’s father, to find out what he wished the child to be called. 63 Asking for a writing tablet, he wrote the words – “His name is John.” Everyone was surprised 64 and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God. 65 All their neighbours were awe-struck at this, and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about. 66 All who heard it kept it in mind, asking one another – ‘What can this child be destined to become?’ For the Power of the Lord was with him.

67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:

68 ‘Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,

who has visited his people and wrought their deliverance,

69 and has raised up for us the strength of our salvation

in the house of his servant David –

70 as he promised by the lips of his holy prophets of old –

71 salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us,

72 showing mercy to our ancestors,

and mindful of his sacred covenant.

73 This was the oath which he swore to our ancestor Abraham –

74 that we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,

75 and should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness,

in his presence all our days.

76 And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to make ready his way,

77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

78 through the tender mercy of our God,

whereby the dawn will break on us from heaven,

79 to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death,

and guide our feet into the way of peace.’

80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilds until the time came for his appearance before Israel.

2 About that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken while Quirinius was Governor of Syria). 3 And everyone went to his own town to be registered. 4 Among others Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem, the town of David, in Judea – because he belonged to the family and house of David – 5 to be registered with Mary, his engaged wife, who was about to become a mother. 6 While they were there her time came, 7 and she gave birth to her first child, a son. And because there was no room for them in the inn, she swathed him round and laid him in a manger. 8 In that same countryside were shepherds out in the open fields, watching their flocks that night, 9 when an angel of the Lord suddenly stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were seized with fear. 10 ‘Have no fear,’ the angel said. ‘For I bring you good news of a great joy in store for all the nation. 11 This day there has been born to you, in the town of David, a Saviour, who is Christ and Lord. 12 And this will be the sign for you. You will find the infant swathed, and lying in a manger.’

13 Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly Host, praising God, and singing –

14 ‘glory to God on high,

and on earth peace among those in whom he finds pleasure.’

15 Now, when the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go at once to Bethlehem, and see this thing that has happened, of which the Lord has told us.’ 16 So they went quickly, and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in a manger; 17 and, when they saw it, they told of all that had been said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds were astonished at their story, 19 while Mary treasured in her heart all that they said, and thought about it often. 20 And the shepherds went back, giving glory and praise to God for all that they had heard and seen. It had all happened as they had been told.Titleless Section Break

21 Eight days after the birth of the child, when it was time to circumcise him, he received the name Jesus – the name given him by the angel before his conception.Titleless Section Break

22 When the period of purification of mother and child, required by the Law of Moses, came to an end, his parents took the child up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23 in compliance with the Law of the Lord that every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord, 24 and also to offer the sacrifice required by the Law of the Lord – a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.

25 There was at that time in Jerusalem a man named Simeon, a righteous and devout man, who lived in constant expectation of Israel’s consulation, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, Simeon came into the Temple Courts, and, when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the Law, 28 Simeon himself took the child in his arms, and blessed God, and said:

29 ‘Now, Lord, you will let your servant go,

according to your word, in peace,

30 for my eyes have seen the salvation

31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations –

32 a light to bring light to the Gentiles,

and to be the glory of your people Israel.’

33 While the child’s father and mother were wondering at what was said about him, 34 Simeon gave them his blessing, and said to Mary, the child’s mother, ‘This child is appointed to be the cause of the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign much spoken against – 35 Yes, the sword will pierce your own heart – and so the thoughts in many minds will be disclosed.’

36 There was also a prophet named Hannah, a daughter of Phanuel and of the tribe of Asher. She was far advanced in years, having lived with her husband for seven years after marriage, 37 and then a widow, until she had reached the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple Courts, but, fasting and praying, worshiped God night and day. 38 At that moment she came up, and began publicly to thank God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the deliverance of Jerusalem.

39 When the child’s parents had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong and wise, and the blessing of God was on him.Titleless Section Break

41 Every year the child’s parents used to go to Jerusalem at the Passover Festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they went according to custom to Jerusalem, 43 and had finished their visit; but, when they started to return, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, without their knowing it. 44 Thinking that he was with their fellow travellers, they went one day’s journey before searching for him among their relatives and acquaintances; 45 and then, as they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching everywhere for him. 46 It was not until the third day that they found him in the Temple Courts, sitting among the teachers, now listening to them, now asking them questions. 47 All who listened to him marvelled at his intelligence and his answers.

48 His parents were amazed when they saw him, and his mother said to him, ‘My child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.’

49 ‘What made you search for me?’ he answered. ‘Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ 50 His parents did not understand what he meant. 51 However he went down with them to Nazareth, and submitted himself to their control; and his mother treasured all that was said in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom as he grew in years, and gained the blessing of God and people.