1 Now in those days an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for a census of the whole world.
2 (This was the first census, and it took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
3 So everyone went to be registered, each at his own town,
4 and as Joseph belonged to the house and family of David he went up from Galilee to Judaea, from the town of Nazaret to David's town called Bethlehem,
5 to be registered along with Mary his wife. She was pregnant,
6 and while they were there the days elapsed for her delivery;
7 she gave birth to her firstborn son, and as there was no room for them inside the khan she wrapped him up and laid him in a stall for cattle.
8 There were some shepherds in the district who were out in the fields keeping guard over their flocks by night;
9 and an angel of the Lord flashed upon them, the glory of the Lord shone all round them. They were terribly afraid,
10 but the angel said to them, "Have no fear. This is good news I am bringing you, news of a great joy that is meant for all the People.
11 To-day you have a saviour born in the town of David, the Lord messiah.
12 And here is a proof for you: you will find a baby wrapped up and lying in a stall for cattle."
15 Now when the angels had left them and gone away to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us be off to Bethlehem to see this thing that the Lord has told us of."
16 So they made haste and discovered Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the stall for cattle.
17 When they saw this they told people about the word which had been spoken to them about the child;
18 all who heard it were astonished at the story of the shepherds,
19 and as for Mary, she treasured it all up and mused upon it.
20 Then the shepherds went away back, glorifying and extolling God for all they had heard and seen as they had been told they would.
21 When the eight days had passed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus ??the name given by the angel before he had been conceived in the womb.
22 When the days for their purification in terms of the Mosaic law had elapsed, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord: every male that opens the womb must be considered consecrated to the Lord)
24 and also to offer the sacrifice prescribed in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Symeon, an upright and devout man, who was on the outlook for the Consolation of Israel. The holy Spirit was upon him;
26 indeed it had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he was not to see death before he had seen the Lord messiah.
27 By an inspiration of the Spirit he came to the temple, and when the parents of the child Jesus carried him in to perform the customary regulations of the law for him,
28 then Symeon took him in his arms, blessed God, and said,
29 "Now, Master, thou canst let thy servant go, and go in peace, as thou didst promise;
30 for mine eyes have seen thy saving power
31 which thou hast prepared before the face of all the peoples,
32 to be a light of revelation for the Gentiles and a glory to thy people Israel."
33 His father and mother were astonished at these words about him,
34 but Symeon blessed them, and to his mother Mary he said, "This child is destined for the downfall as well as for the rise of many a one in Israel; destined to be a Sign for man's attack ??35 to bring out the secret aims of many a heart. And your own soul will be pierced by a spear."
36 There was also a prophetess, Hannah the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher; she was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her girlhood
37 and having been a widow for eighty-four years. She was never away from the temple; night and day she worshipped, fasting and praying.
38 Now at that very hour she came up, and she offered praise to God and spoke of him to all who were on the outlook for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When they had finished all the regulations of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazaret.
40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the favour of God was on him.
41 Every year his parents used to travel to Jerusalem at the passover festival;
42 and when he was twelve years old they went up as usual to the festival.
43 After spending the full number of days they came back, but the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know of this;
44 they supposed he was in the caravan and travelled on for a day, searching for him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances.
45 Then, as they failed to find him, they came back to Jerusalem in search of him.
46 Three days later they found him in the temple, seated among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions,
47 till all his hearers were amazed at the intelligence of his own answers.
48 When his parents saw him they were astounded, and his mother said to him, "My son, why have you behaved like this to us? Here have your father and I been looking for you anxiously!"