Luke 1-2
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 1
1Since many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3it seemed fitting to me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in an orderly sequence, most excellent Theophilus; 4so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.
5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
7And yet they had no child, because Elizabeth was infertile, and they were both advanced in years.
8Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division,
9according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.
11Now an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
12Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.
13But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.
14You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth.
15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.
16And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.
17And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF FATHERS BACK TO their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'
18Zechariah said to the angel, 'How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her years.'
19The angel answered and said to him, 'I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.'
21And meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.
22But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple, and he repeatedly made signs to them, and remained speechless.
23When the days of his priestly service were concluded, he went back home.
24Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,
25This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among people.'
26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth,
27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28And coming in, he said to her, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.'
29But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was.
30And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
33and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.'
34But Mary said to the angel, 'How will this be, since I am a virgin?'
35The angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God.
36And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month.
37For nothing will be impossible with God.'
38And Mary said, 'Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her.
39Now at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah,
40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42And she cried out with a loud voice and said, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43And how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me?
44For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.'
47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.
50And His mercy is to generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.
51He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed.
54He has given help to His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,
55Just as He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.'
57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.
59And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.
60And yet his mother responded and said, 'No indeed; but he shall be called John.'
61And they said to her, 'There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.'
62And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.
63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, 'His name is John.' And they were all amazed.
64And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking in praise of God.
65And fear came on all those who lived around them; and all these matters were being talked about in the entire hill country of Judea.
66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, 'What then will this child turn out to be?' For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
68'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David—
70Just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient times—
71 Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;
72To show mercy to our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham,
74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Would serve Him without fear,
75In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76And you, child, also will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;
77To give His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,
78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79To shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.'
Chapter 2
1Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night.
9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
10And so the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'
13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying,
15When 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.'
16And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
17When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
18And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds.
19But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
22And when the days for 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: 'EVERY firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord'),
24and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord: 'A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG DOVES.'
25And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
27And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law,
28then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29'Now, Lord, You are letting Your bond-servant depart in peace, According to Your word;
30For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31Which You have prepared in the presence of all the peoples:
32A light for revelation for the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.'
33And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.
34And Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary, 'Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be opposed—
35and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.'
36And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage,
37and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She did not leave the temple grounds, serving night and day with fasts and prayers.
38And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak about Him to all those who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39And when His parents had completed everything in accordance with the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.
40Now the Child continued to grow and to become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.
41His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42And when He was twelve years old, they went up there according to the custom of the feast;
43and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days required, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents were unaware of it.
44Instead, 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.
45And when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him.
46Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
47And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.
48When Joseph and Mary saw Him, they were bewildered; and His mother said to Him, 'Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You!'
49And He said to them, 'Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?'
50And yet they on their part did not understand the statement which He had made to them.
51And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
King James Version
Chapter 1
1Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
40And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
41And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
57Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
59And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
61And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
65And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
66And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Chapter 2
1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
22And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
25And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
28Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
33And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
34And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
37And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
40And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
42And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
43And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
44But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
45And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
49And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business
50And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
51And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 1
1Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us. 3It also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.
5In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.
7But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.
8When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
10At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.
11An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
12When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear.
13But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.
14There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.
16He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people."
19The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news.
20Now listen. You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
22When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was making signs to them and remained speechless.
23When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.
24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said,
25"The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people."
26In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28And the angel came to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you."
29But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be.
30Then the angel told her: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end."
35The angel replied to her: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless.
37For nothing will be impossible with God."
39In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah
40where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Then she exclaimed with a loud cry: "Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed!
43How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me.
45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!"
46And Mary said: My soul praises the greatness of the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
50His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.
51He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts;
52he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
53He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy
55to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.
57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
58Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her his great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
59When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day, they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.
60But his mother responded, "No. He will be called John."
61Then they said to her, "None of your relatives has that name."
62So they motioned to his father to find out what he wanted him to be called.
63He asked for a writing tablet and wrote: "His name is John." And they were all amazed.
64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
65Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea.
66All who heard about him took it to heart, saying, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.
68Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people.
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets in ancient times;
71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us.
72He has dealt mercifully with our fathers and remembered his holy covenant —
73the oath that he swore to our father Abraham. He has given us the privilege,
74since we have been rescued from the hand of our enemies, to serve him without fear
75in holiness and righteousness in his presence all our days.
76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.
78Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us
79to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Chapter 2
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.
4Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David,
5to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant.
6While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.
9Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10But the angel said to them, "Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
11Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
12This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger."
16They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.
17After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child,
18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.
20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.
21When the eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus —the name given by the angel before he was conceived.
22And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23(just as it is written in the law of the Lord,Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord )
24and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons ).
25There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.
27Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law,
28Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said,
29Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised.
30For my eyes have seen your salvation.
31You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples—
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel.
33His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.
34Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary: "Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed —
35and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
36There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
37and was a widow for eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.
38At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
40The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him.
41Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.
42When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival.
43After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
44Assuming he was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
46After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.
48When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
New Living Translation
Chapter 1
1Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. 3Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
5When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron.
6Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.
7They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
8One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week.
9As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
10While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
11While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.
12Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.
13But the angel said, 'Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.
14You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.
16And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.
17He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.'
19Then the angel said, 'I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!
20But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.'
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.
22When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.
23When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.
24Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.
25How kind the Lord is!' she exclaimed. 'He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.'
26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,
27to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
28Gabriel appeared to her and said, 'Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! '
29Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
30Don’t be afraid, Mary,' the angel told her, 'for you have found favor with God!
31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
33And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!'
35The angel replied, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
36What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.
37For the word of God will never fail. '
39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town
40where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.
41At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, 'God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.
43Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?
44When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
45You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.'
46Mary responded, 'Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
50He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.
51His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.
55For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.'
57When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son.
58And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.
59When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father.
60But Elizabeth said, 'No! His name is John!'
61What?' they exclaimed. 'There is no one in all your family by that name.'
62So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him.
63He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, 'His name is John.'
64Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.
65Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.
66Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, 'What will this child turn out to be?' For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
68'Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David,
70just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.
71Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.
72He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant —
73the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham.
74We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear,
75in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.
76'And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.
78Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.'
Chapter 2
1At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
6And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.
7She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
8That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
9Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
10but the angel reassured them. 'Don’t be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
11The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
12And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.'
16They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.
17After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
18All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,
19but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
20The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
22Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
23The law of the Lord says, 'If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.'
24So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord — 'either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.'
25At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him
26and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
27That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required,
28Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
29'Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.
30I have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared for all people.
32He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!'
33Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him.
34Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, 'This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him.
35As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.'
36Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years.
37Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.
38She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
39When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee.
40There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
41Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.
42When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual.
43After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first,
44because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there.
46Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
47All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
English Standard Version
Chapter 1
1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
8Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother 's womb.
16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
17and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."
18And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
19And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time."
21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.
22And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.
23And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
25"Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."
26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin 's name was Mary.
28And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"
29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.
30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
35And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy — the Son of God.
36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37For nothing will be impossible with God."
38And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,
40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;
53he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."
56And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
57Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
58And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,
60but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John."
61And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name."
62And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.
63And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.
64And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,
66and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.
68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people
69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
80And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Chapter 2
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
15When 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."
16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
22And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, 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 who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord")
24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."
25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord 's Christ.
27And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
28he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
30for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."
33And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed
35(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."
36And there was 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,
37and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
38And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
40And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.
43And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,
44but 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,
45and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."
49And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father 's house?"
50And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
51And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
New International Version
Chapter 1
1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.
7But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
13But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
16He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
19The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time."
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
25"The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."
26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end."
35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.
37For no word from God will ever fail."
39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"
46And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
55to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors."
57When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
60but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."
64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
65All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord’s hand was with him.
68"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—
72to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,
73the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
Chapter 2
1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to their own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
22When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" ),
24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."
25Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
27Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel."
33The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
36There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
40And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
41Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.
42When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.
43After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
44Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
New King James Version
Chapter 1
1Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
19And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.
20But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
22But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
23So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
24Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
25“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
30Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
35And the angel answered and said to her, “ The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
36Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
37For with God nothing will be impossible.”
39Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
46And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.
50And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.
53He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.
54He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,
55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
57Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
58When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
59So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
60His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
61But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
63And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.
64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
65Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.
68“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,
71That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins,
78Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Chapter 2
1And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
6So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
7And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
15So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
17Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
18And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
22Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
27So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,
28he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
29“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;
30For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.
34Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against
35(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
36Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;
37and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
40And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
41His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
43When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;
44but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
45So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.
46Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
47And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
48So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
