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UST LUKE Chapter 2

2 Also during that time, Caesar Augustus, who ruled over the whole Roman Empire, commanded that every person living in his empire had to register his name in an official list of the people who lived there. 2 This was the first time that the Romans recorded the names of everyone living in their empire. They did this during the time when Quirinius was the governor of the province of Syria. 3 So everyone had to go to his family’s hometown to register.4-5 4-5Joseph also traveled to his family’s hometown, along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. Because Joseph was a descendant of King David, they left the town of Nazareth in the region of Galilee and traveled to the region of Judea, to the town of Bethlehem, which is also known as the city of David. Joseph and Mary went there to be registered in the public record.6-7 6-7When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was no place for them to stay in a place where visitors usually stayed. So they had to stay in a place where animals slept overnight. While they were there the time came for Mary to give birth and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in wide strips of cloth and laid him down where the food was kept for the animals inside the barn.

8 There were some shepherds camping out in the open country near Bethlehem that night. They were there taking care of their sheep. 9 Suddenly they saw an angel from the Lord standing in front of them. A glorious light from the Lord shone all over them. They became very afraid. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, because I have come to tell you very good news! This news is for all people, and should make everyone rejoice! 11 They will rejoice because today, in Bethlehem, King David’s hometown, the person was born who will save you from your sins! He is the Messiah, the Lord! 12 And here is a sign for you. If you go to Bethlehem, you will find a baby there wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding place for animals.”

13 Suddenly a large group of angels from heaven appeared with the other angel. They were all praising God by saying,

14 “In the highest heaven may all the angels praise God! And on the earth may all the people who please God be peaceful with God and each other!”

15 When the angels left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “We should go right now to Bethlehem and see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about!” 16 So they went quickly, and when they had found the place where Mary and Joseph were staying, they saw the baby lying in a feeding place for animals. 17 After they had seen him, they told everyone what the Lord had revealed to them about this baby. 18 All the people who were listening thought that what the shepherds told them was amazing. 19 But Mary carefully remembered all of these things and thought about them continually. 20 The shepherds returned to the fields where their sheep were. They kept talking about how great God is and praising him for all of the things that they had heard and seen. Everything had been exactly as the angel had told them it would be.

21 On the eighth day after the baby was born, they circumcised him and gave him the name Jesus. This was the name that the angel had told them to give him even before Mary had become pregnant with him.

22 Mary and Joseph waited the number of days that the law of Moses required for her to become ceremonially clean again after having a baby. Then they brought him to Jerusalem so that they could dedicate him to the Lord in the temple. 23 They did this to obey the law of the Lord, which says, “You must set apart for the Lord every male offspring who is the first to be born.” 24 There they offered the sacrifice that the law of the Lord told the parents of a newborn son to offer, “two turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. He did what was pleasing to God and obeyed God’s laws. He was eagerly waiting for God to send the Messiah to encourage the people of Israel. The Holy Spirit was directing him. 26 The Holy Spirit had previously revealed to him that before he died, the Lord would send the Messiah and he would get to see him. 27 So the Holy Spirit led Simeon to go into the temple courtyard. He was there when Joseph and Mary brought in the baby Jesus so that they could perform the ceremony for him that God had commanded in the law. 28 When Simeon saw Jesus, he picked him up in his arms and thanked God, and then he said,

29 “Lord, you have kept your promise to me, and now I am content for you to let me die.

30 Because I have seen the one whom you have sent to save people,

31 the one whom you have prepared for all people to see.

32 He will be like a light that will reveal your truth to the other nations. He will show how glorious your plan is for Israel, your people.”

33 Jesus’ father and mother marveled at what Simeon said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Jesus’ mother, Mary, “Note well what I say: God has determined that, because of this child, many people in Israel will reject God and many will submit themselves to God. He will be a sign from God that many people will oppose. 35 As for you, the cruel things that people will do to him will make you so sad that it will feel as if a sword is piercing through your very soul. But this is necessary so that he can reveal the secret thoughts of many people.”

36 A prophetess named Anna was also there in the temple courtyard. She was very old. She was the daughter of Phanuel, who was from the tribe of Asher. As a young woman, she had been married for seven years, and then her husband had died. 37 After that, she had lived as a widow for 84 more years. It seemed as if she was always in the temple, worshiping God by fasting and praying, at all times of the night and day. 38 At that same time, Anna approached Joseph and Mary and the baby. Anna began thanking God for the baby. Afterwards, she kept speaking about Jesus to many other people who were also expecting God to send the Messiah who would set the people of Israel free.

39 After Joseph and Mary had finished doing everything that the law of the Lord required for parents of a first son, they returned to their own town, Nazareth, in the district of Galilee. 40 As the child grew up, he became strong and very wise, and God was present in his life.

41 Every year Jesus’ parents traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover festival. 42 So when Jesus was 12 years old, they all traveled to Jerusalem together when it was time for the Passover festival. 43 When the days for celebrating the festival ended, Jesus’ parents started to return home, but their son, Jesus, stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know that he was still there. 44 They thought that he was with the other people who were traveling with them. But after walking for one day, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46 Three days after Mary and Joseph had left Jerusalem, they found Jesus at the temple. He was sitting among the Jewish religious teachers. He was listening to them teach and he was asking them questions. 47 All the people who heard what he said were amazed at how much he understood and how well he answered the questions that the teachers asked. 48 When his parents saw him, they were very surprised. His mother said to him, “My son, you should not have done this to us. Listen to me! Your father and I have been very worried as we have been searching for you!” 49 He said to them, “I am surprised that you needed to search for me. I thought you would know that I needed to be at my Father’s house, learning about him.” 50 But they did not understand the meaning of what he said to them. 51 Then he returned with them to Nazareth, and he always obeyed them. His mother kept thinking deeply about all the things that had happened.

52 As the years passed, Jesus continued to become wiser, and he grew taller. God and people continued to approve of him more and more.

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