Dual Panel1Now <1161> in <1722> those <1565> days <2250> a decree <1378> went out <1831> from <3844> Caesar <2541> Augustus <828> to register <583> all <3956> the empire <3625> for taxes.
2This <3778> was the first <4413> registration <582>, taken <1096> when <2230> Quirinius <2958> was governor <2230> of Syria <4947>.
3Everyone <1538> went <4198> to <1519> his own <1438> town <4172> to be registered <583>.
4So <1161> Joseph <2501> also <2532> went up <305> from <575> the town <4172> of <1537> Nazareth <3478> in Galilee <1056> to <1519> Judea <2449>, to <1519> the city <4172> of David <1138> called <2564> Bethlehem <965>, because <1223> he <846> was <1510> of <1537> the house <3624> and <2532> family line <3965> of David <1138>.
5He went to be registered <583> with <4862> Mary <3137>, who was promised in marriage <3423> to him <846>, and who was <1510> expecting a child <1471>.
6While <1096> they <846> were <1510> there <1563>, the time <2250> came <4130> for her to deliver <5088> her <846> child <5088>.
7And <2532> she gave birth <5088> to her <846> firstborn <4416> son <5207> and <2532> wrapped <4683> him <846> in strips of cloth <4683> and <2532> laid <347> him <846> in <1722> a manger <5336>, because <1360> there was <1510> no <3756> place <5117> for them <846> in <1722> the inn <2646>.
8Now <2532> there were <1510> shepherds <4166> nearby <1722> <5561> living out in the field <63>, keeping guard <5442> <5438> over <1909> their <846> flock <4167> at night <3571>.
9An angel <32> of <2962> the Lord <2962> appeared <2186> to them <846>, and <2532> the glory <1391> of <2962> the Lord <2962> shone around <4034> them <846>, and <2532> they were <5399> absolutely <3173> terrified <5399> <5401>.
10But <2532> the angel <32> said <2036> to them <846>, “Do <5399> not <3361> be afraid <5399>! Listen carefully <2400>, for <1063> I proclaim <2097> to you <5213> good news <2097> that <3748> brings <1510> great <3173> joy <5479> to all <3956> the people <2992>:
11Today <4594> your <5213> Savior <4990> is born <5088> in <1722> the city <4172> of David <1138>. He is <1510> Christ <5547> the Lord <2962>.
12This <5124> will be a sign <4592> for you <5213>: You will find <2147> a baby <1025> wrapped in strips of cloth <4683> and <2532> lying <2749> in <1722> a manger <5336>.”
13Suddenly <1810> a vast <4128>, heavenly <3770> army <4756> appeared <1096> with <4862> the angel <32>, praising <134> God <2316> and <2532> saying <3004>,
14“Glory <1391> to God <2316> in <1722> the highest <5310>, and <2532> on <1909> earth <1093> peace <1515> among <1722> people <444> with whom he is pleased <2107>!”
15When the angels <32> left <575> them <846> and went back <565> to <1519> heaven <3772>, the shepherds <4166> said <2980> to <4314> one another <240>, “Let us go over <1330> to <2193> Bethlehem <965> and <2532> see <1492> this <5124> thing <4487> that has taken place <1096>, that <3739> the Lord <2962> has made known <1107> to us <2254>.”
16So <2532> they hurried off <2064> <4692> and <2532> located <429> Mary <3137> and <2532> Joseph <2501>, and <2532> found the baby <1025> lying <2749> in <1722> a manger <5336>.
17When <1492> they saw <1492> him, they related <1107> what they <846> had been told <2980> about <4012> this <5127> child <3813>,
18and <2532> all <3956> who heard <191> it were astonished <2296> at <4012> what the shepherds <4166> said <2980>.
19But <1161> Mary <3137> treasured up <4933> all <3956> these <5023> words <4487>, pondering <4820> in <1722> her <846> heart <2588> what they might mean.
20So <2532> the shepherds <4166> returned <5290>, glorifying <1392> and <2532> praising <134> God <2316> for <1909> all <3956> they had heard <191> and <2532> seen <1492>; everything was just as <2531> they <846> had been told <2980>.
21At the end <4130> of eight <3638> days <2250>, when <3753> he <846> was circumcised <4059>, he <846> was named <2564> <3686> Jesus <2424>, the name given <2564> by <5259> the angel <32> before <4253> he <846> was conceived <4815> in <1722> the womb <2836>.
22Now <2532> when <3753> the time <2250> came <4130> for their <846> purification <2512> according to <2596> the law <3551> of Moses <3475>, Joseph and Mary brought <321> Jesus <846> up <321> to <1519> Jerusalem <2414> to present <3936> him to the Lord <2962>
23(just as <2531> it is written <1125> in <1722> the law <3551> of the Lord <2962>, “Every <3956> firstborn <3388> male <730> will be <2564> set apart <40> to the Lord <2962>”),
24and <2532> to offer <1325> a sacrifice <2378> according to <2596> what is specified <2046> in <1722> the law <3551> of the Lord <2962>, a pair <2201> of doves <5167> or <2228> two <1417> young <3502> pigeons <4058>.
25Now <2532> there was <1510> a man <444> in <1722> Jerusalem <2419> named <3686> Simeon <4826> who <444> <3778> was righteous <1342> and <2532> devout <2126>, looking for <4327> the restoration <3874> of Israel <2474>, and <2532> the Holy <39> Spirit <4151> was <1510> upon <1909> him <846>.
26It <1510> had been revealed <5537> to him <846> by <5259> the Holy <40> Spirit <4151> that he would not <3361> die <2288> before <4250> he had seen <1492> the Lord’s <2962> Christ <5547>.
27So <2532> Simeon, directed by <1722> the Spirit <4151>, came <2064> into <1519> the temple courts <2411>, and <2532> when the parents <1118> brought in <1521> the child <3813> Jesus <2424> to do <4160> for <4012> him <846> what was customary <1480> according to <2596> the law <3551>,
28Simeon <846> took <1209> him <846> in <1519> his arms <43> and <2532> blessed <2127> God <2316>, saying <2036>,
29“Now <3568>, according to <2596> your <4675> word <4487>, Sovereign Lord <1203>, permit <630> your <4675> servant <1401> to depart <630> in <1722> peace <1515>.
30For <3754> my <3450> eyes <3788> have seen <1492> your <4675> salvation <4992>
31that <3739> you have prepared <2090> in <2596> the presence <4383> of all <3956> peoples <2992>:
32a light <5457>, for <1519> revelation <602> to the Gentiles <1484>, and <2532> for glory <1391> to your <4675> people <2992> Israel <2474>.”
33So <2532> the child’s <846> father <3962> and <2532> mother <3384> were amazed <2296> at <1909> what was said <2980> about <4012> him <846>.
34Then <2532> Simeon <4826> blessed <2127> them <846> and <2532> said <2036> to <4314> his <846> mother <3384> Mary <3137>, “Listen carefully <2400>: This child <3778> is destined to be the cause of <2749> the falling <4431> and <2532> rising <386> of many <4183> in <1722> Israel <2474> and <2532> to be <1519> a sign <4592> that will be rejected <483>.
35Indeed <2532>, as a result of him the thoughts <1261> of <1537> many <4183> hearts <2588> will be revealed <601>– and a sword <4501> will pierce <1330> your own <4675> soul <5590> as well!”
36There was <1510> also <2532> a prophetess <4398>, Anna <451> the daughter <2364> of Phanuel <5323>, of <1537> the tribe <5443> of Asher <768>. She <846> was <4260> very <4183> old <4260> <1722> <2250>, having been married <2198> to <3326> her husband <435> for seven <2033> years <2094> until his death.
37She <846> had lived as a widow <5503> since <2193> then for eighty-four <3589> <5064> years <2094>. She <868> never <3756> left <868> the temple <2411>, worshiping <3000> with fasting <3521> and <2532> prayer <1162> night <3571> and <2532> day <2250>.
38At that moment <846> <5610>, she came up <2186> to them and began to give thanks <437> to God <2316> and <2532> to speak <2980> about <4012> the child <846> to all <3956> who were waiting <4327> for <3085> the redemption <3085> of Jerusalem <2419>.
39So <2532> when <5613> Joseph and Mary had performed <5055> everything <3956> according to <2596> the law <3551> of the Lord <2962>, they returned <1994> to <1519> Galilee <1056>, to <1519> their own <1438> town <4172> of Nazareth <3478>.
40And <1161> the child <3813> grew <837> and <2532> became strong <2901>, filled <4137> with wisdom <4678>, and <2532> the favor <5485> of God <2316> was <1510> upon <1909> him <846>.
41Now <2532> Jesus <846>’ parents <1118> went to <4198> Jerusalem <2419> every <2596> year <2094> for <1519> the feast <1859> of the Passover <3957>.
42When <3753> he was <1096> twelve <1427> years old <2094>, they <846> went up <305> according to <2596> custom <1485>.
43But <2532> when <5048> the feast was over <5048>, as they <846> were returning home <5290>, the boy <3816> Jesus <2424> stayed behind <5278> in <1722> Jerusalem <2419>. His <846> parents <1118> did <1097> not <3756> know <1097> it,
44but <1161> (because they assumed <3543> that he <846> was <1510> in <1722> their group of travelers <4923>) they went <2064> a day’s <2250> journey <3598>. Then <2532> they began to look for <327> him <846> among <1722> their relatives <4773> and <2532> acquaintances <1110>.
45When <2147> they did <2147> not <3361> find <2147> him, they returned <5290> to <1519> Jerusalem <2419> to look for <327> him <846>.
46After <3326> three <5140> days <2250> they found <2147> him <846> in <1722> the temple courts <2411>, sitting <2516> among <1722> <3319> the teachers <1320>, listening <191> to them <846> and <2532> asking <1905> them <846> questions <1905>.
47And <1161> all <3956> who heard <191> Jesus <846> were astonished <1839> at <1909> his understanding <4907> and <2532> his <846> answers <612>.
48When <2532> his parents saw <1492> him <846>, they were overwhelmed <1605>. His <846> mother <3384> said <2036> to <4314> him <846>, “Child <5043>, why <5101> have you treated <4160> us <2254> like this <3779>? Look <2400>, your <4675> father <3962> and <2532> I <1473> have been looking for <2212> you <4571> anxiously <3600>.”
49But <2532> he replied <2036>, “Why <5101> were you looking for <2212> me <3165>? Didn’t <3756> you know <1492> that <3754> I <3165> must <1163> be <1510> in <1722> my <3450> Father’s house <3962>?”
50Yet <2532> his parents <846> did <4920> not <3756> understand <4920> the remark <4487> he made <2980> to them <846>.
51Then <2532> he went down <2597> with <3326> them <846> and <2532> came <2064> to <1519> Nazareth <3478>, and <2532> was <1510> obedient <5293> to them <846>. But <2532> his <846> mother <3384> kept <1301> all <3956> these things <4487> in <1722> her <846> heart <2588>.
52And <2532> Jesus <2424> increased <4298> in wisdom <4678> and <2532> in stature <2244>, and <2532> in favor <5485> with <3844> God <2316> and <2532> with people <444>.