Luke 2
2At that time Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire.G1161G1096G1722G1565G2250G1831G1378G3844G2541G828G3956G3625G5832When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria.G3778G582G1096G4413G1096G2958G2230G49473Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own hometown.G2532G3956G4198G583G1538G1519G2398G41724Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David.G1161G2501G2532G305G575G1056G1537G4172G3478G1519G2449G1519G4172G1138G3748G2564G965G1223G846G1511G1537G3624G2532G3965G11385He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant,G583G4862G3137G846G3423G1135G5607G14716and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby.G1161G1096G1722G846G1511G1563G2250G4130G846G50887She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger - -there was no room for them to stay in the inn.G2532G5088G846G4416G5207G2532G4683G846G4683G2532G347G846G1722G5336G1360G2258G3756G5117G846G1722G26468There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks.G2532G2258G1722G846G5561G4166G63G2532G5442G5438G1909G846G4167G35719An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid,G2532G2400G32G2962G2186G846G2532G1391G2962G4034G846G2532G3173G5399G540110but the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.G2532G32G2036G846G5399G3361G1063G2400G2097G5213G2097G3173G5479G3748G2071G3956G299211This very day in David's town your Savior was born - -Christ the Lord!G3754G5213G5088G4594G1722G4172G1138G4990G3739G2076G5547G296212And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."G2532G5124G4592G5213G2147G1025G4683G2749G1722G533613Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:G2532G1810G1096G4862G32G4128G3770G4756G134G2316G2532G300414"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!"G1391G2316G1722G5310G2532G1909G1093G1515G2107G1722G44415When the angels went away from them back 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."G2532G1096G5613G32G565G575G846G1519G3772G2532G444G4166G2036G240G4314G240G1330G1211G1330G2193G965G2532G1492G5124G4487G1096G3739G3588G2962G1107G225416So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger.G2532G2064G4692G2532G5037G429G3137G2532G2501G2532G1025G2749G1722G533617When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child.G1161G1492G1232G4012G4487G3588G2980G846G4012G5127G381318All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said.G2532G3956G191G2296G4012G3588G2980G4314G846G5259G416619Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them.G1161G3137G4933G3956G4487G5023G4820G1722G846G258820The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.G2532G4166G1994G1392G2532G134G2316G1909G3956G3739G191G2532G1492G2531G2980G4314G84621A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.G2532G3753G3638G2250G4130G4059G3813G2532G846G3686G2564G2424G3588G2564G5259G32G4253G846G4815G1722G283622The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,G2532G3753G2250G846G2512G2596G3551G3475G4130G321G846G1519G2414G3936G296223as it is written in the law of the Lord: "Every first-born male is to be dedicated to the Lord."G2531G1125G1722G3551G2962G3754G3956G730G1272G3388G2564G40G296224They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.G2532G1325G2378G2596G2046G1722G3551G2962G2201G5167G2228G1417G3502G405825At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with himG2532G2400G2258G444G1722G2419G3739G3686G4826G2532G3778G444G1342G2532G2126G4327G3874G2474G2532G40G4151G2258G1909G84626and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's promised Messiah.G2532G2258G5537G846G5259G40G4151G1492G3361G1492G2288G4250G2228G1492G2962G554727Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required,G2532G2064G1722G4151G1519G2411G2532G1118G1521G1722G3813G2424G4160G846G4012G846G2596G1480G355128Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:G2532G1209G846G846G1209G1519G846G43G2532G2127G2316G2532G203629"Now, Lord, you have kept your promise, and you may let your servant go in peace.G1203G3568G630G4675G1401G630G1722G1515G2596G4675G448730With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,G3754G3450G3788G1492G4675G499231which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:G3739G2090G2596G4383G3956G299232A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles and bring glory to your people Israel."G5457G1519G602G1484G2532G1391G4675G2992G247433The child's father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him.G2532G2501G2532G846G3384G2258G2296G1909G2980G4012G84634Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, "This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak againstG2532G4826G2127G846G2532G2036G4314G3137G846G3384G2400G3778G2749G1519G4431G2532G386G4183G1722G2474G2532G1519G4592G48335and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart."G1161G4501G1330G4675G846G5590G2532G3704G1261G1537G4183G2588G302G60136There was a very old prophet, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now eighty-four years old.G2532G2258G451G4398G2364G5323G1537G5443G768G3778G846G4183G1722G2250G4260G2198G3326G435G2033G2094G575G846G393237She never left the Temple; day and night she worshiped God, fasting and praying.G2532G3778G5503G5613G3589G5064G2094G3739G868G3756G575G2411G3000G3521G2532G1162G3571G2532G225038That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.G2532G3778G846G2186G846G5610G437G2962G2532G2980G4012G846G3956G4327G3085G1722G241939When Joseph and Mary had finished doing all that was required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee.G2532G5613G5055G537G2596G3551G2962G5290G1519G1056G1519G846G4172G347840The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God's blessings were upon him.G1161G3813G837G2532G2901G4151G4137G4678G2532G5485G2316G2258G1909G84641Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.G2532G846G1118G4198G1519G2419G2596G2094G1859G395742When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual.G2532G3753G1096G1427G2094G846G305G1519G2414G2596G1485G185943When the festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know this;G2532G5048G2250G1722G846G5290G3816G2424G5278G1722G2419G2532G2501G2532G846G3384G1097G375644they thought that he was with the group, so they traveled a whole day and then started looking for him among their relatives and friends.G1161G3543G846G1511G1722G4923G2064G2250G3598G2532G327G846G1722G4773G2532G1722G111045They did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him.G2532G2147G846G3361G5290G1519G2419G2212G84646On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions.G2532G1096G3326G5140G2250G2147G846G1722G2411G2516G1722G3319G1320G2532G191G846G2532G1905G846G190547All who heard him were amazed at his intelligent answers.G1161G3956G191G846G1839G1909G846G4907G2532G61248His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you."G2532G1492G846G1605G2532G846G3384G2036G4314G846G5043G5101G4160G3779G4160G2254G2400G4675G3962G2504G2212G4571G360049He answered them, "Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?"G2532G2036G4314G846G5101G3754G2212G3165G1492G3756G3754G3165G1163G1511G1722G3450G396250But they did not understand his answer.G2532G846G4920G3756G4487G3739G2980G84651So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.G2532G2597G3326G846G2532G2064G1519G3478G2532G2258G5293G846G2532G846G3384G1301G3956G5023G4487G1722G846G258852Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favor with God and people.G2532G2424G4298G4678G2532G2244G2532G5485G3844G2316G2532G444
Columbus, OH
