Luke 2:13-51

¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

¹⁵So it was, when the angels had departed from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go then to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”

¹⁶And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

¹⁷And when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

¹⁸And all those who heard it marveled about the things spoken by the shepherds to them.

¹⁹But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.

²⁰Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was spoken to them.

²¹And when eight days were completed, so they could circumcise Him, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

²²Now when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

²³(just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),

²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what had been said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the 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 see death before he should see the Lord's Christ.

²⁷So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, that they might do for Him according to the custom of the law,

²⁸he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹“Lord, now You are releasing Your servant in peace, According to Your word;

³⁰For my eyes have seen Your salvation

³¹Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

³²A light for a revelation to the Gentiles, And a glory to Your people Israel.”

³³And Joseph and His mother were marveling at the things being spoken about Him.

³⁴Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against

³⁵(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

³⁶Now there was one, Hannah, a prophetess, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;

³⁷and she was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

³⁸And coming in that instant she was giving thanks to the Lord, and was speaking about Him to all those who waited for redemption in Jerusalem.

³⁹So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

⁴⁰And the Child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

⁴¹And His parents traveled to Jerusalem every year to the Feast of the Passover.

⁴²And when He was twelve years old, when they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast,

⁴³and when they completed the days, while they were returning, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and Joseph and His mother did not know it.

⁴⁴But supposing Him to be in the caravan, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and among their acquaintances.

⁴⁵And when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

⁴⁶Now it came to pass that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them.

⁴⁷And those who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and His answers.

⁴⁸And when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Child, why have You treated us this way? Look, Your father and I were seeking You anxiously.”

⁴⁹And He said to them, “Why is it that you were seeking Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?”

⁵⁰But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

⁵¹Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. And His mother kept all these things in her heart.