Luke 2:10-27

¹⁰“Have no fear,” the angel said. “For I bring you good news of a great joy in store for all the nation.

¹¹This day there has been born to you, in the town of David, a Saviour, who is Christ and Lord.

¹²And this will be the sign for you. You will find the infant swathed, and lying in a manger.”

¹³Then 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 amongst those in whom he finds pleasure.”

¹⁵Now, 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.”

¹⁶So they went quickly, and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in a manger;

¹⁷and, when they saw it, they told of all that had been said to them about this child.

¹⁸All who heard the shepherds were astonished at their story,

¹⁹while Mary treasured up all that they said, and thought about it often in her thoughts.

²⁰And 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.

²¹Eight 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.

²²When 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,

²³in compliance with the Law of the Lord that every first-born male will be dedicated to the Lord,

²⁴and also to offer the sacrifice required by the Law of the Lord — a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.

²⁵There was at that time in Jerusalem a man named Simeon, a righteous and devout man, who lived in constant expectation of the Consolation of Israel, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not die until he had seen the Lord's Christ.

²⁷Moved 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,