2Now in those days an order was published by Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered.G1161G1096G1722G1565G2250G1831G1378G3844G2541G828G3956G3625G5832This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.G3778G582G1096G4413G1096G2958G2230G49473So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered.2G2532G3956G4198G583G1538G1519G2398G41724Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was a descendant of the household and family of David.G1161G2501G2532G305G575G1056G1537G4172G3478G1519G2449G1519G4172G1138G3748G2564G965G1223G846G1511G1537G3624G2532G3965G11385He went there to be registered with Mary, who had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.4G583G4862G3137G846G3423G1135G5607G14716While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby,G1161G1096G1722G846G1511G1563G2250G4130G846G50887and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no place for them in the guest quarters.G2532G5088G846G4416G5207G2532G4683G846G4683G2532G347G846G1722G5336G1360G2258G3756G5117G846G1722G26468In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night.G2532G2258G1722G846G5561G4166G63G2532G5442G5438G1909G846G4167G35719An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.G2532G2400G32G2962G2186G846G2532G1391G2962G4034G846G2532G3173G5399G540110Then the angel said to them, "Stop being afraid! Listen! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.G2532G32G2036G846G5399G3361G1063G2400G2097G5213G2097G3173G5479G3748G2071G3956G299211Today your Savior, the Lord Messiah, was born in the city of David.G3754G5213G5088G4594G1722G4172G1138G4990G3739G2076G5547G296212And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough."G2532G5124G4592G5213G2147G1025G4683G2749G1722G533613Suddenly a multitude of the Heavenly Army appeared with the angel, praising God by saying,G2532G1810G1096G4862G32G4128G3770G4756G134G2316G2532G300414"Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!"G1391G2316G1722G5310G2532G1909G1093G1515G2107G1722G44415When the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see what has taken place that the Lord has told us about."G2532G1096G5613G32G565G575G846G1519G3772G2532G444G4166G2036G240G4314G240G1330G1211G1330G2193G965G2532G1492G5124G4487G1096G3739G3588G2962G1107G225416So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in the feeding trough.G2532G2064G4692G2532G5037G429G3137G2532G2501G2532G1025G2749G1722G533617When they saw this, they repeated what they had been told about this child.G1161G1492G1232G4012G4487G3588G2980G846G4012G5127G381318All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.G2532G3956G191G2296G4012G3588G2980G4314G846G5259G416619However, Mary continued to treasure all these things in her heart and to ponder them.G1161G3137G4933G3956G4487G5023G4820G1722G846G258820Then the shepherds returned to their flock, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.G2532G4166G1994G1392G2532G134G2316G1909G3956G3739G191G2532G1492G2531G2980G4314G84621After eight days had passed, the infant was circumcised and named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.G2532G3753G3638G2250G4130G4059G3813G2532G846G3686G2564G2424G3588G2564G5259G32G4253G846G4815G1722G283622When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,G2532G3753G2250G846G2512G2596G3551G3475G4130G321G846G1519G2414G3936G296223as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn son is to be designated as holy to the Lord."G2531G1125G1722G3551G2962G3754G3956G730G1272G3388G2564G40G296224They also offered a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord: "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."G2532G1325G2378G2596G2046G1722G3551G2962G2201G5167G2228G1417G3502G405825Now a man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. This man was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.G2532G2400G2258G444G1722G2419G3739G3686G4826G2532G3778G444G1342G2532G2126G4327G3874G2474G2532G40G4151G2258G1909G84626It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah.25G2532G2258G5537G846G5259G40G4151G1492G3361G1492G2288G4250G2228G1492G2962G554727Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the law,G2532G2064G1722G4151G1519G2411G2532G1118G1521G1722G3813G2424G4160G846G4012G846G2596G1480G355128Simeon took the infant in his arms and praised God, saying,G2532G1209G846G846G1209G1519G846G43G2532G2127G2316G2532G203629"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace according to your promise.G1203G3568G630G4675G1401G630G1722G1515G2596G4675G448730Because my eyes have seen your salvation,G3754G3450G3788G1492G4675G499231which you prepared for all people to see -G3739G2090G2596G4383G3956G299232a light that will reveal salvation to the gentiles and bring glory to your people Israel."G5457G1519G602G1484G2532G1391G4675G2992G247433Jesus' father and mother kept wondering at the things being said about him.G2532G2501G2532G846G3384G2258G2296G1909G2980G4012G84634Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, "This infant is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise. Also, he will be a sign that will be opposed.G2532G4826G2127G846G2532G2036G4314G3137G846G3384G2400G3778G2749G1519G4431G2532G386G4183G1722G2474G2532G1519G4592G48335Indeed, a sword will pierce your own soul, too, so that the inner thoughts of many people might be revealed."G1161G4501G1330G4675G846G5590G2532G3704G1261G1537G4183G2588G302G60136Now Anna, a prophetess, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage,G2532G2258G451G4398G2364G5323G1537G5443G768G3778G846G4183G1722G2250G4260G2198G3326G435G2033G2094G575G846G393237and then as a widow for 84 years. She never left the temple, but continued to worship there night and day with times of fasting and prayer.G2532G3778G5503G5613G3589G5064G2094G3739G868G3756G575G2411G3000G3521G2532G1162G3571G2532G225038Just then she came forward and began to thank God and to speak about Jesus to everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.G2532G3778G846G2186G846G5610G437G2962G2532G2980G4012G846G3956G4327G3085G1722G241939After doing everything required by the law of the Lord, Joseph and Mary returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee.G2532G5613G5055G537G2596G3551G2962G5290G1519G1056G1519G846G4172G347840Meanwhile, the child continued to grow and to become strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God's favor rested upon him.G1161G3813G837G2532G2901G4151G4137G4678G2532G5485G2316G2258G1909G84641Every year Jesus' parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.G2532G846G1118G4198G1519G2419G2596G2094G1859G395742When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to the festival as usual.G2532G3753G1096G1427G2094G846G305G1519G2414G2596G1485G185943When the days of the festival were over, they left for home. The young man Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.G2532G5048G2250G1722G846G5290G3816G2424G5278G1722G2419G2532G2501G2532G846G3384G1097G375644They thought that he was in their group of travelers. After traveling for a day, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.G1161G3543G846G1511G1722G4923G2064G2250G3598G2532G327G846G1722G4773G2532G1722G111045When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching desperately for him.G2532G2147G846G3361G5290G1519G2419G2212G84646Three days later they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and posing questions to them.G2532G1096G3326G5140G2250G2147G846G1722G2411G2516G1722G3319G1320G2532G191G846G2532G1905G846G190547All who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers.G1161G3956G191G846G1839G1909G846G4907G2532G61248When Jesus' parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!"G2532G1492G846G1605G2532G846G3384G2036G4314G846G5043G5101G4160G3779G4160G2254G2400G4675G3962G2504G2212G4571G360049He asked them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?"G2532G2036G4314G846G5101G3754G2212G3165G1492G3756G3754G3165G1163G1511G1722G3450G396250But they did not understand what he said to them.G2532G846G4920G3756G4487G3739G2980G84651Then he went back with them, returning to Nazareth and remaining in submission to them. His mother continued to treasure all these things in her heart.G2532G2597G3326G846G2532G2064G1519G3478G2532G2258G5293G846G2532G846G3384G1301G3956G5023G4487G1722G846G258852Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.G2532G2424G4298G4678G2532G2244G2532G5485G3844G2316G2532G444
Dublin, OH
