Luke 2:4-41

⁴And Joseph went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into Judea, into a city of David, that is called Bethlehem, for that he was of the house and of the meine of David,

⁵that he should acknowledge with Mary, his wife, that was wedded to him, and was great with child.

⁶And it was done, while they were there, the days were fulfilled, that she should bear child.

⁷And she bare her first-born son, and wrapped him in ‘clothes, and laid him in a cratch, for there was no place to him in no chamber.

⁸And shepherds were in the same country, waking and keeping the watches of the night on their flock.

⁹And lo! the angel of the Lord stood beside them, and the clearness of God shined about them; and they dreaded with great dread.

¹⁰And the angel said to them, Do not ye dread; for lo! I preach to you a great joy, that shall be to all people.

¹¹For a Saviour is born today to you, that is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.

¹²And this is a token to you; ye shall find a young child wrapped in ‘clothes, and laid in a cratch.

¹³And suddenly there was made with the angel a multitude of heavenly knighthood, praising God, and saying,

¹⁴Glory be in the highest things to God, and in earth peace to men of good will.

¹⁵And it was done, as the angels passed away from them into heaven, the shepherds spake together, and said, Go we over to Bethlehem, and see we this word that is made, which the Lord hath made, and showed to us.

¹⁶And they hieing came, and found Mary and Joseph, and the young child laid in a cratch.

¹⁷And they seeing, knew of the word that was said to them of this child.

¹⁸And all men that heard wondered, and of these things that were said to them of the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary kept all these words, bearing together in her heart.

²⁰And the shepherds turned again, glorifying and praising God in all things that they had heard and seen, as it was said to them.

²¹And after that eight days were ended, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, which was called of the angel, before that he was conceived in the womb.

²²And after that the days of the purification of Mary were fulfilled, after Moses’ law, they took him into Jerusalem, to offer him to the Lord,

²³as it is written in the law of the Lord, For every male-kind opening the womb, shall be called holy to the Lord;

²⁴and that they shall give an offering, after that it is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtles, or two culver birds.

²⁵And lo! a man was in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and this man was just, and virtuous or dread-full, and abode the comfort of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him.

²⁶And he had taken an answer of the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, but he saw first the Christ of the Lord.

²⁷And he came in Spirit into the temple. And when his father and mother led in the child Jesus to do after the custom of the law for him,

²⁸he took him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

²⁹Lord, now thou leavest thy servant after thy word in peace;

³⁰for mine eyes have seen thine health,

³¹which thou hast made ready before the face of all peoples;

³²light to the showing of heathen men, and glory of thy people Israel.

³³And his father and his mother were wondering on these things, that were said of him.

³⁴And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, Lo! this is set into the falling down and into the rising again of many men in Israel, and into a token, to whom it shall be against-said.

³⁵And a sword shall pass through thine own soul, that the thoughts be showed of many hearts.

³⁶And Anna was a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the lineage of Aser. And she had gone forth in many days, and had lived with her husband seven years from her maidenhood.

³⁷And this was a widow to fourscore years and four; and she departed not from the temple, but served God night and day in fastings and prayers.

³⁸And this came upon them in that hour, and acknowledged to the Lord, and spake of him to all that abided the redemption of Israel.

³⁹And as they had full or perfectly done all things, after the law of the Lord, they turned again in to Galilee, in to their city Nazareth.

⁴⁰And the child waxed, and was comforted, full of wisdom; and the grace of God was in him.

⁴¹And his father and mother went each year into Jerusalem, in the solemn day of pask.