Luke 2

Listen to Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus Christ

1 In those days 1a decree went out from 2Caesar Augustus that all the world should be 3registered.
2 This was the first 4registration when[a] Quirinius 5was governor of Syria.
3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
4 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,
5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,[b] who was with child.
6 And 11while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7 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

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord 15appeared to them, and 16the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.
10 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all 17the people.
11 For 18unto you is born this day in 19the city of David 20a Savior, who is 21Christ 22the Lord.
12 And 23this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby 24wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there was with the angel 25a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 26"Glory to God 27in the highest, 28and on earth 29peace 30among those with whom he is pleased!"[c]
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."
16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby 31lying in a manger.
17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
19 But 32Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, 33glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21 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

22 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
23 (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")
24 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."
25 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.
26 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.
27 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,
28 he took him up in his arms and 49blessed God and said,
29 "Lord, now you are letting your servant[d] depart 50in peace, 51according to your word;
30 for 52my eyes have seen your 53salvation
31 54that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 55a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and 56for glory to 57your people Israel."
33 And 58his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed 59for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign 60that is opposed
35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."
36 And there was 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,
37 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.
38 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

39 And when they had performed everything according to 65the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of 66Nazareth.
40 67And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

41 Now 68his parents went 69to Jerusalem every year at 70the Feast of the Passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, 71they went up according to custom.
43 And when the feast 72was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. 73His parents did not know it,
44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, 74sitting among 75the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 And when his parents[f] 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."
49 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]
50 And 79they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And 80his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus 81increased in wisdom and in stature[h] and in 82favor with God and man.

Images for Luke 2

Cross References 82

  • 1. Acts 17:7
  • 2. [Luke 3:1]
  • 3. [Acts 5:37]
  • 4. [See ver. 1 above]
  • 5. Luke 3:1
  • 6. Luke 1:26
  • 7. See Matthew 2:23
  • 8. ver. 11; John 7:42; [1 Samuel 16:1]
  • 9. Matthew 2:1
  • 10. Luke 1:27
  • 11. [See ver. 4 above]
  • 12. ver. 12
  • 13. ver. 16
  • 14. Luke 22:11(Gk.)
  • 15. Luke 24:4; Acts 12:7
  • 16. Luke 9:31; Acts 7:55; 2 Corinthians 3:18
  • 17. ver. 32; John 11:50; [Zechariah 9:9]
  • 18. Isaiah 9:6
  • 19. ver. 4
  • 20. Matthew 1:21; John 4:42
  • 21. Acts 2:36; Acts 10:36; [Luke 23:2]; See Matthew 1:17
  • 22. [Luke 1:43]
  • 23. 1 Samuel 2:34; 2 Kings 19:29; 2 Kings 20:8, 9; Isaiah 7:11, 14
  • 24. ver. 7
  • 25. Genesis 28:12; Genesis 32:1, 2; 1 Kings 22:19; 2 Chronicles 18:18; Psalms 103:21; Psalms 148:2; Daniel 7:10; Revelation 5:11
  • 26. Luke 19:38; [Psalms 148:1; Matthew 21:9]
  • 27. [Luke 10:21; Matthew 6:10; Matthew 28:18; John 17:4; Acts 7:49; Ephesians 3:15; Colossians 1:16, 20; Revelation 5:13]
  • 28. [Luke 10:21; Matthew 6:10; Matthew 28:18; John 17:4; Acts 7:49; Ephesians 3:15; Colossians 1:16, 20; Revelation 5:13]
  • 29. Luke 1:79; Psalms 85:10; Isaiah 9:6, 7; Haggai 2:9; Acts 10:36; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14, 17; Colossians 1:20
  • 30. [Luke 3:22; Luke 12:32; Ephesians 1:5, 9; Philippians 2:13]
  • 31. ver. 7, 12
  • 32. ver. 51; [Luke 1:66; Genesis 37:11]
  • 33. See Luke 7:16
  • 34. See Luke 1:59
  • 35. Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:21, 25
  • 36. Leviticus 12; [ver. 21, 27; Galatians 4:4]
  • 37. [1 Samuel 1:22, 24]
  • 38. ver. 39; Exodus 13:9; 2 Chronicles 31:3
  • 39. [Exodus 13:2, 12]
  • 40. [See ver. 23 above]
  • 41. Cited from Leviticus 12:8
  • 42. Luke 1:6
  • 43. Acts 2:5; Acts 8:2; Acts 22:12
  • 44. ver. 38; Luke 23:51; Isaiah 25:9; Mark 15:43; [Genesis 49:18]
  • 45. Isaiah 40:1; Isaiah 57:18
  • 46. Psalms 89:48; John 8:51; Hebrews 11:5; [Acts 2:27]
  • 47. [Luke 9:20; Luke 23:35; 1 Samuel 24:6]
  • 48. ver. 33, 41, 43, 48-51
  • 49. Luke 1:64
  • 50. Genesis 15:15
  • 51. ver. 26
  • 52. Isaiah 52:10
  • 53. See Luke 3:6
  • 54. Psalms 98:2; See Luke 24:47
  • 55. Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 52:10; Isaiah 60:3; John 8:12; Acts 13:47; Acts 26:23
  • 56. [Isaiah 45:25; Isaiah 46:13]
  • 57. ver. 10
  • 58. ver. 27
  • 59. [Isaiah 8:14; Matthew 21:44; John 9:39; 1 Corinthians 1:23, 24; 2 Corinthians 2:16; 1 Peter 2:8, 9]
  • 60. Acts 28:22
  • 61. See Exodus 15:20
  • 62. 1 Timothy 5:5
  • 63. Luke 5:33; Matthew 6:16-18; Acts 13:2; Acts 14:23; 2 Corinthians 6:5; 2 Corinthians 11:27
  • 64. ver. 25; See Luke 1:68
  • 65. ver. 23
  • 66. ver. 4
  • 67. Luke 1:80
  • 68. ver. 27
  • 69. [1 Samuel 1:3]
  • 70. Exodus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:1; John 2:13
  • 71. John 11:55
  • 72. Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:3
  • 73. [See ver. 41 above]
  • 74. See Matthew 26:55
  • 75. Luke 5:17
  • 76. ver. 27; [ver. 49]
  • 77. See Luke 13:33
  • 78. John 2:16; John 14:2
  • 79. [Luke 18:34]; See Mark 9:32
  • 80. See ver. 19
  • 81. [1 Samuel 2:26]
  • 82. [1 Samuel 2:26]

Footnotes 8

  • [a]. Or This was the registration before
  • [b]. That is, one legally pledged to be married
  • [c]. Some manuscripts peace, good will among men
  • [d]. Greek bondservant
  • [e]. Or as a widow for eighty-four years
  • [f]. Greek they
  • [g]. Or about my Father's business
  • [h]. Or years

Luke 2 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.