The Birth of Jesus Christ
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And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
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And Joseph also went up 6from Galilee, from the town of 7Nazareth, to Judea, to 8the city of David, which is called 9Bethlehem, 10because he was of the house and lineage of David,
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to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,b who was with child.
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And 11while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
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And she gave birth to her firstborn son and 12wrapped him in swaddling cloths and 13laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in 14the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
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And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
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And an angel of the Lord 15appeared to them, and 16the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.
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And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all 17the people.
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And 23this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby 24wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
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And suddenly there was with the angel 25a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
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26"Glory to God 27in the highest, 28and on earth 29peace 30among those with whom he is pleased!"c
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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."
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And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby 31lying in a manger.
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And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
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And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
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But 32Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
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And the shepherds returned, 33glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
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And 34at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, 35he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus Presented at the Temple
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And 36when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem 37to present him to the Lord
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(as it is written in 38the Law of the Lord, 39"Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord")
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and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in 40the Law of the Lord, 41"a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."
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Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was 42righteous and 43devout, 44waiting for 45the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
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And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not 46see death before he had seen 47the Lord's Christ.
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And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when 48the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
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he took him up in his arms and 49blessed God and said,
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54that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
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And 58his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
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And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed 59for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign 60that is opposed
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(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."
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And there was 61a 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,
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and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.e She did not depart from the temple, 62worshiping with 63fasting and prayer night and day.
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And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were 64waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
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And when they had performed everything according to 65the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of 66Nazareth.
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67And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
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And when he was twelve years old, 71they went up according to custom.
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And when the feast 72was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. 73His parents did not know it,
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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,
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and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
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After three days they found him in the temple, 74sitting among 75the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
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And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
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And when his parentsf saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, 76your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."
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And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that 77I must be in 78my Father's house?"g
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And 79they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
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And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And 80his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)