Luke 2
2In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.G1161G1096G1722G1565G2250G1831G1378G3844G2541G828G3956G3625G5832(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)G3778G582G1096G4413G1096G2958G2230G49473And everyone went to their own town to register.G2532G3956G4198G583G1538G1519G2398G41724So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.G1161G2501G2532G305G575G1056G1537G4172G3478G1519G2449G1519G4172G1138G3748G2564G965G1223G846G1511G1537G3624G2532G3965G11385He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.G583G4862G3137G846G3423G1135G5607G14716While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,G1161G1096G1722G846G1511G1563G2250G4130G846G50887and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.G2532G5088G846G4416G5207G2532G4683G846G4683G2532G347G846G1722G5336G1360G2258G3756G5117G846G1722G26468And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.G2532G2258G1722G846G5561G4166G63G2532G5442G5438G1909G846G4167G35719An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.G2532G2400G32G2962G2186G846G2532G1391G2962G4034G846G2532G3173G5399G540110But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.G2532G32G2036G846G5399G3361G1063G2400G2097G5213G2097G3173G5479G3748G2071G3956G299211Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.G3754G5213G5088G4594G1722G4172G1138G4990G3739G2076G5547G296212This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."G2532G5124G4592G5213G2147G1025G4683G2749G1722G533613Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,G2532G1810G1096G4862G32G4128G3770G4756G134G2316G2532G300414"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."G1391G2316G1722G5310G2532G1909G1093G1515G2107G1722G44415When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."G2532G1096G5613G32G565G575G846G1519G3772G2532G444G4166G2036G240G4314G240G1330G1211G1330G2193G965G2532G1492G5124G4487G1096G3739G3588G2962G1107G225416So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.G2532G2064G4692G2532G5037G429G3137G2532G2501G2532G1025G2749G1722G533617When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,G1161G1492G1232G4012G4487G3588G2980G846G4012G5127G381318and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.G2532G3956G191G2296G4012G3588G2980G4314G846G5259G416619But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.G1161G3137G4933G3956G4487G5023G4820G1722G846G258820The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.G2532G4166G1994G1392G2532G134G2316G1909G3956G3739G191G2532G1492G2531G2980G4314G84621On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.G2532G3753G3638G2250G4130G4059G3813G2532G846G3686G2564G2424G3588G2564G5259G32G4253G846G4815G1722G283622When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the LordG2532G3753G2250G846G2512G2596G3551G3475G4130G321G846G1519G2414G3936G296223(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" ),G2531G1125G1722G3551G2962G3754G3956G730G1272G3388G2564G40G296224and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."G2532G1325G2378G2596G2046G1722G3551G2962G2201G5167G2228G1417G3502G405825Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.G2532G2400G2258G444G1722G2419G3739G3686G4826G2532G3778G444G1342G2532G2126G4327G3874G2474G2532G40G4151G2258G1909G84626It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.G2532G2258G5537G846G5259G40G4151G1492G3361G1492G2288G4250G2228G1492G2962G554727Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,G2532G2064G1722G4151G1519G2411G2532G1118G1521G1722G3813G2424G4160G846G4012G846G2596G1480G355128Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:G2532G1209G846G846G1209G1519G846G43G2532G2127G2316G2532G203629"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.G1203G3568G630G4675G1401G630G1722G1515G2596G4675G448730For my eyes have seen your salvation,G3754G3450G3788G1492G4675G499231which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:G3739G2090G2596G4383G3956G299232a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel."G5457G1519G602G1484G2532G1391G4675G2992G247433The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.G2532G2501G2532G846G3384G2258G2296G1909G2980G4012G84634Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,G2532G4826G2127G846G2532G2036G4314G3137G846G3384G2400G3778G2749G1519G4431G2532G386G4183G1722G2474G2532G1519G4592G48335so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."G1161G4501G1330G4675G846G5590G2532G3704G1261G1537G4183G2588G302G60136There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,G2532G2258G451G4398G2364G5323G1537G5443G768G3778G846G4183G1722G2250G4260G2198G3326G435G2033G2094G575G846G393237and then had been a widow for eighty-four years. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.G2532G3778G5503G5613G3589G5064G2094G3739G868G3756G575G2411G3000G3521G2532G1162G3571G2532G225038Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.G2532G3778G846G2186G846G5610G437G2962G2532G2980G4012G846G3956G4327G3085G1722G241939When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.G2532G5613G5055G537G2596G3551G2962G5290G1519G1056G1519G846G4172G347840And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.G1161G3813G837G2532G2901G4151G4137G4678G2532G5485G2316G2258G1909G84641Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.G2532G846G1118G4198G1519G2419G2596G2094G1859G395742When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Festival, according to the custom.G2532G3753G1096G1427G2094G846G305G1519G2414G2596G1485G185943After the Festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.G2532G5048G2250G1722G846G5290G3816G2424G5278G1722G2419G2532G2501G2532G846G3384G1097G375644Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.G1161G3543G846G1511G1722G4923G2064G2250G3598G2532G327G846G1722G4773G2532G1722G111045When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.G2532G2147G846G3361G5290G1519G2419G2212G84646After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.G2532G1096G3326G5140G2250G2147G846G1722G2411G2516G1722G3319G1320G2532G191G846G2532G1905G846G190547Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.G1161G3956G191G846G1839G1909G846G4907G2532G61248When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."G2532G1492G846G1605G2532G846G3384G2036G4314G846G5043G5101G4160G3779G4160G2254G2400G4675G3962G2504G2212G4571G360049"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"G2532G2036G4314G846G5101G3754G2212G3165G1492G3756G3754G3165G1163G1511G1722G3450G396250But they did not understand what he was saying to them.G2532G846G4920G3756G4487G3739G2980G84651Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.G2532G2597G3326G846G2532G2064G1519G3478G2532G2258G5293G846G2532G846G3384G1301G3956G5023G4487G1722G846G258852And as Jesus grew up, he increased in wisdom and in favor with God and people.G2532G2424G4298G4678G2532G2244G2532G5485G3844G2316G2532G444
Columbus, OH
