Luke 2
New Century Version
The Birth of Jesus
2 At that time, Augustus Caesar sent an order that all people in the countries under Roman rule must list their names in a register. 2 This was the first registration;[a] it was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to their own towns to be registered.
4 So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, known as the town of David. Joseph went there because he was from the family of David. 5 Joseph registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged[b] and who was now pregnant. 6 While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby, 7 and she gave birth to her first son. Because there were no rooms left in the inn, she wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough.
Shepherds Hear About Jesus
8 That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and they became very frightened. 10 The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news that will be a great joy to all the people. 11 Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord. 12 This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box.”
13 Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel, praising God and saying:
14 “Give glory to God in heaven,
and on earth let there be peace among the people who please God.”[c]
15 When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in a feeding trough. 17 When they had seen him, they told what the angels had said about this child. 18 Everyone was amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured these things and continued to think about them. 20 Then the shepherds went back to their sheep, praising God and thanking him for everything they had seen and heard. It had been just as the angel had told them.
21 When the baby was eight days old, he was circumcised and was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before the baby began to grow inside Mary.
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the law of Moses taught about being made pure,[d] they took Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 (It is written in the law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be given to the Lord.”)[e] 24 Mary and Joseph also went to offer a sacrifice, as the law of the Lord says: “You must sacrifice two doves or two young pigeons.”[f]
Simeon Sees Jesus
25 In Jerusalem lived a man named Simeon who was a good man and godly. He was waiting for the time when God would take away Israel’s sorrow, and the Holy Spirit was in him. 26 Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Christ promised by the Lord. 27 The Spirit led Simeon to the Temple. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple to do what the law said they must do, 28 Simeon took the baby in his arms and thanked God:
29 “Now, Lord, you can let me, your servant,
die in peace as you said.
30 With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,
31 which you prepared before all people.
32 It is a light for the non-Jewish people to see
and an honor for your people, the Israelites.”
33 Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what Simeon had said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, “God has chosen this child to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God that many people will not accept 35 so that the thoughts of many will be made known. And the things that will happen will make your heart sad, too.”
Anna Sees Jesus
36 There was a prophetess, Anna, from the family of Phanuel in the tribe of Asher. Anna was very old. She had once been married for seven years. 37 Then her husband died, and she was a widow for eighty-four years. Anna never left the Temple but worshiped God, going without food and praying day and night. 38 Standing there at that time, she thanked God and spoke about Jesus to all who were waiting for God to free Jerusalem.
Joseph and Mary Return Home
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything the law of the Lord commanded, they went home to Nazareth, their own town in Galilee. 40 The little child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s goodness was upon him.
Jesus As a Boy
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went to the feast as they always did. 43 After the feast days were over, they started home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Thinking that Jesus was with them in the group, they traveled for a whole day. Then they began to look for him among their family and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him there. 46 After three days they found Jesus sitting in the Temple with the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and answers. 48 When Jesus’ parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why did you do this to us? Your father and I were very worried about you and have been looking for you.”
49 Jesus said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand the meaning of what he said.
51 Jesus went with them to Nazareth and was obedient to them. But his mother kept in her mind all that had happened. 52 Jesus became wiser and grew physically. People liked him, and he pleased God.
Footnotes
- 2:2 registration Census. A counting of all the people and the things they own.
- 2:5 engaged For the Jewish people, an engagement was a lasting agreement. It could only be broken by divorce.
- 2:14 and . . . God Some Greek copies read “and on earth let there be peace and goodwill among people.”
- 2:22 pure The Law of Moses said that forty days after a Jewish woman gave birth to a son, she must be cleansed by a ceremony at the Temple. Read Leviticus 12:2–8.
- 2:23 “Every . . . Lord.” Quotation from Exodus 13:2.
- 2:24 “You . . . pigeons.” Quotation from Leviticus 12:8.
Luke 2
English Standard Version
The Birth of Jesus Christ
2 In those days (A)a decree went out from (B)Caesar Augustus that all the world should be (C)registered. 2 This was the first (D)registration when[a] Quirinius (E)was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up (F)from Galilee, from the town of (G)Nazareth, to Judea, to (H)the city of David, which is called (I)Bethlehem, (J)because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,[b] who was with child. 6 And (K)while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and (L)wrapped him in swaddling cloths and (M)laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in (N)the inn.[c]
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord (O)appeared to them, and (P)the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all (Q)the people. 11 For (R)unto you is born this day in (S)the city of David (T)a Savior, who is (U)Christ (V)the Lord. 12 And (W)this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby (X)wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel (Y)a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 (Z)“Glory to God (AA)in the highest,
(AB)and on earth (AC)peace (AD)among those with whom he is pleased!”[d]
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby (AE)lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But (AF)Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, (AG)glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21 And (AH)at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, (AI)he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus Presented at the Temple
22 And (AJ)when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem (AK)to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in (AL)the Law of the Lord, (AM)“Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in (AN)the Law of the Lord, (AO)“a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was (AP)righteous and (AQ)devout, (AR)waiting for (AS)the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not (AT)see death before he had seen (AU)the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when (AV)the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and (AW)blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant[e] depart (AX)in peace,
(AY)according to your word;
30 for (AZ)my eyes have seen your (BA)salvation
31 (BB)that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 (BC)a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and (BD)for glory to (BE)your people Israel.”
33 And (BF)his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed (BG)for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign (BH)that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was (BI)a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.[f] She did not depart from the temple, (BJ)worshiping with (BK)fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were (BL)waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
39 And when they had performed everything according to (BM)the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of (BN)Nazareth. 40 (BO)And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 Now (BP)his parents went (BQ)to Jerusalem every year at (BR)the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, (BS)they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast (BT)was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. (BU)His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, (BV)sitting among (BW)the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents[g] saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, (BX)your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that (BY)I must be in (BZ)my Father's house?”[h] 50 And (CA)they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And (CB)his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus (CC)increased in wisdom and in stature[i] and in (CD)favor with God and man.
Footnotes
- Luke 2:2 Or This was the registration before
- Luke 2:5 That is, one legally pledged to be married
- Luke 2:7 Or guest room
- Luke 2:14 Some manuscripts peace, good will among men
- Luke 2:29 Or bondservant
- Luke 2:37 Or as a widow for eighty-four years
- Luke 2:48 Greek they
- Luke 2:49 Or about my Father's business
- Luke 2:52 Or years
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
