Luke 2 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem

2 Now in those days a decree went out from ^(A)Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of ^(B)all ^[a]the inhabited earth. ^{2 [b]}This was the first census taken while ^[c]Quirinius was governor of ^(C)Syria. ³ And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. ⁴ Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because ^(D)he was of the house and family of David, ⁵ in order to register along with Mary, who was ^[d]betrothed to him, and was pregnant. ⁶ While they were there, the ^[e]time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she ^(E)gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a ^[f]manger, because there was no ^[g]room for them in the inn.

⁸ In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. ⁹ And ^(F)an angel of the Lord suddenly ^(G)stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. ¹⁰ And so the angel said to them, “^(H)Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹ for today in the city of David there has been born for you a ^(I)Savior, who is ^[h](J)Christ ^(K)the Lord. ¹² And ^(L)this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a ^[i]manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly ^[j]army of angels praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “^(M)Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among people ^[k](N)with whom He is pleased.”

¹⁵ When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the ^[l]manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary ^(O)treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds went back, ^(P)glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Jesus Presented at the Temple

²¹ And when ^(Q)eight days were completed ^[m]so that it was time for His circumcision, ^(R)He was also named Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

^{22 (S)}And when the days for ^[n]their purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “^(T)Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord: “^(U)A pair of turtledoves or two young doves.”

²⁵ And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was ^(V)righteous and devout, ^(W)looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And ^(X)it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not ^(Y)see death before he had seen the Lord’s ^[o]Christ. ²⁷ And he came ^[p]by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, ^[q](Z)to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, ²⁸ then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

²⁹ “Now, Lord, You are letting Your bond-servant depart in peace,
^(AA)According to Your word;
³⁰ For my eyes have ^(AB)seen Your salvation,
³¹ Which You have prepared in the presence of all the peoples:
^{32 (AC)}A light for revelation ^[r]for the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

³³ And His father and ^(AD)mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to ^(AE)His mother Mary, “Behold, this Child is appointed for ^(AF)the fall and ^[s]rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be ^[t]opposed— ³⁵ and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

³⁶ And there was a ^(AG)prophetess, ^[u]Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of ^(AH)the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in ^[v]years ^(AI)and had lived with her husband for seven years after her ^[w]marriage, ³⁷ and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She did not leave the temple grounds, serving night and day with ^(AJ)fasts and prayers. ³⁸ And at that very ^[x]moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak about Him to all those who were ^(AK)looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Return to Nazareth

³⁹ And when His parents had completed everything in accordance with the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to ^(AL)their own city of Nazareth. ^{40 (AM)}Now the Child continued to grow and to become strong, ^[y]increasing in wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.

Visit to Jerusalem

⁴¹ His parents went to Jerusalem every year at ^(AN)the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when He was twelve years old, they went up there according to the custom of the feast; ⁴³ and as they were returning, after spending the ^(AO)full number of days required, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Instead, they thought that He was somewhere in the caravan, and they went a day’s journey; and then they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵ And when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him. ⁴⁶ Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard Him ^(AP)were amazed at His understanding and His answers. ⁴⁸ When Joseph and Mary saw Him, they were bewildered; and ^(AQ)His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, ^(AR)Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You!” ⁴⁹ And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that ^(AS)I had to be in My Father’s ^[z]house?” ⁵⁰ And yet ^(AT)they on their part did not understand the statement which He had ^[aa]made to them. ⁵¹ And He went down with them and came to ^(AU)Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and ^(AV)His mother ^(AW)treasured all these ^[ab]things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and ^[ac]stature, and in ^(AX)favor with God and people.

Footnotes

1. Luke 2:1 I.e., the Roman Empire
2. Luke 2:2 Or This took place as a first census
3. Luke 2:2 Gr Kyrenios
4. Luke 2:5 Unlike engagement, a betrothed couple was considered married, but did not yet live together
5. Luke 2:6 Lit days were completed
6. Luke 2:7 Or feeding trough
7. Luke 2:7 Or space
8. Luke 2:11 I.e., the Messiah
9. Luke 2:12 Or feeding trough
10. Luke 2:13 Or host
11. Luke 2:14 Lit of good pleasure; or of goodwill
12. Luke 2:16 Or feeding trough
13. Luke 2:21 Lit so as to circumcise Him
14. Luke 2:22 I.e., Mary’s, with Joseph’s support
15. Luke 2:26 I.e., Messiah
16. Luke 2:27 Or in
17. Luke 2:27 Lit to do for Him according to
18. Luke 2:32 Lit of the Gentiles
19. Luke 2:34 Or resurrection
20. Luke 2:34 Or refused
21. Luke 2:36 Or Hannah
22. Luke 2:36 Lit days
23. Luke 2:36 Lit virginity
24. Luke 2:38 Lit hour
25. Luke 2:40 Lit becoming full of
26. Luke 2:49 Or affairs; or business; lit in the things of My Father
27. Luke 2:50 Lit spoken
28. Luke 2:51 Lit words
29. Luke 2:52 Or age

Cross references

1. Luke 2:1 : Matt 22:17; Luke 3:1
2. Luke 2:1 : Matt 24:14
3. Luke 2:2 : Matt 4:24
4. Luke 2:4 : Luke 1:27
5. Luke 2:7 : Matt 1:25
6. Luke 2:9 : Luke 1:11; Acts 5:19
7. Luke 2:9 : Luke 24:4; Acts 12:7
8. Luke 2:10 : Matt 14:27
9. Luke 2:11 : Matt 1:21; John 4:42; Acts 5:31
10. Luke 2:11 : Matt 1:16; 16:16, 20; John 11:27
11. Luke 2:11 : Luke 1:43; Acts 2:36; 10:36
12. Luke 2:12 : 1 Sam 2:34; 2 Kin 19:29; 20:8f; Is 7:11, 14
13. Luke 2:14 : Matt 21:9; Luke 19:38
14. Luke 2:14 : Luke 3:22; Eph 1:9; Phil 2:13
15. Luke 2:19 : Luke 2:51
16. Luke 2:20 : Matt 9:8
17. Luke 2:21 : Gen 17:12; Lev 12:3; Luke 1:59
18. Luke 2:21 : Matt 1:21, 25; Luke 1:31
19. Luke 2:22 : Lev 12:6-8
20. Luke 2:23 : Ex 13:2, 12; Num 3:13; 8:17
21. Luke 2:24 : Lev 5:11; 12:8
22. Luke 2:25 : Luke 1:6
23. Luke 2:25 : Mark 15:43; Luke 2:38; 23:51
24. Luke 2:26 : Matt 2:12
25. Luke 2:26 : Ps 89:48; John 8:51; Heb 11:5
26. Luke 2:27 : Luke 2:22
27. Luke 2:29 : Luke 2:26
28. Luke 2:30 : Ps 119:166, 174; Is 52:10; Luke 3:6
29. Luke 2:32 : Is 9:2; 42:6; 49:6, 9; 51:4; 60:1-3; Matt 4:16; Acts 13:47; 26:23
30. Luke 2:33 : Matt 12:46
31. Luke 2:34 : Matt 12:46
32. Luke 2:34 : Matt 21:44; 1 Cor 1:23; 2 Cor 2:16; 1 Pet 2:8
33. Luke 2:36 : Luke 2:38; Acts 21:9
34. Luke 2:36 : Josh 19:24
35. Luke 2:36 : 1 Tim 5:9
36. Luke 2:37 : Luke 5:33; Acts 13:3; 14:23; 1 Tim 5:5
37. Luke 2:38 : Luke 1:68; 2:25
38. Luke 2:39 : Matt 2:23; Luke 1:26; 2:51; 4:16
39. Luke 2:40 : Luke 1:80; 2:52
40. Luke 2:41 : Ex 12:11; 23:15; Deut 16:1-6
41. Luke 2:43 : Ex 12:15
42. Luke 2:47 : Matt 7:28; 13:54; 22:33; Mark 1:22; 6:2; 11:18; Luke 4:32; John 7:15
43. Luke 2:48 : Matt 12:46
44. Luke 2:48 : Luke 2:49; 3:23; 4:22
45. Luke 2:49 : John 4:34; 5:36
46. Luke 2:50 : Mark 9:32; Luke 9:45; 18:34
47. Luke 2:51 : Luke 2:39
48. Luke 2:51 : Matt 12:46
49. Luke 2:51 : Luke 2:19
50. Luke 2:52 : Luke 2:40