Parallel Bible results for "luke 2"

Luke 2

New Living Translation NLT

1 At 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.)

3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.

4 And 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.

5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.

7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.

9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,

10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.

11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.

18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,

19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

20 The 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.

21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

22 Then 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.

23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD .”

24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

25 At 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

26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

27 That 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,

28 Simeon 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.

30 I have seen your salvation,

31 which you have prepared for all people.

32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

33 Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him.

34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him.

35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”

36 Anna, 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.

37 Then 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.

38 She 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.

39 When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee.

40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.

42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual.

43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first,

44 because 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.

45 When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there.

46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”

49 “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

50 But they didn’t understand what he meant.

51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.

52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

The Message Bible MSG

1 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire.

2 This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

3 Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for.

4 So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there.

5 He went with Mary, his fiancŽe, who was pregnant.

6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

7 She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

8 There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep.

9 Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified.

10 The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide:

11 A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.

12 This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."

13 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:

14 Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

15 As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us."

16 They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.

17 Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child.

18 All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

19 Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself.

20 The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!

21 When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived.

22 Then when the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, they took him up to Jerusalem to offer him to God

23 as commanded in God's Law: "Every male who opens the womb shall be a holy offering to God,"

24 and also to sacrifice the "pair of doves or two young pigeons" prescribed in God's Law.

25 In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him.

26 The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died.

27 Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law,

28 Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:

29 God, you can now release your servant; release me in peace as you promised.

30 With my own eyes I've seen your salvation;

31 it's now out in the open for everyone to see:

32 A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations, and of glory for your people Israel.

33 Jesus' father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words.

34 Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother, This child marks both the failure and the recovery of many in Israel, A figure misunderstood and contradicted -

35 the pain of a sword-thrust through you - But the rejection will force honesty, as God reveals who they really are.

36 Anna the prophetess was also there, a daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was by now a very old woman. She had been married seven years

37 and a widow for eighty-four. She never left the Temple area, worshiping night and day with her fastings and prayers.

38 At the very time Simeon was praying, she showed up, broke into an anthem of praise to God, and talked about the child to all who were waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem.

39 When they finished everything required by God in the Law, they returned to Galilee and their own town, Nazareth.

40 There the child grew strong in body and wise in spirit. And the grace of God was on him. They Found Him in the Temple

41 Every year Jesus' parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover.

42 When he was twelve years old, they went up as they always did for the Feast.

43 When it was over and they left for home, the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn't know it.

44 Thinking he was somewhere in the company of pilgrims, they journeyed for a whole day and then began looking for him among relatives and neighbors.

45 When they didn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem looking for him.

46 The next day they found him in the Temple seated among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

47 The teachers were all quite taken with him, impressed with the sharpness of his answers.

48 But his parents were not impressed; they were upset and hurt. His mother said, "Young man, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been half out of our minds looking for you."

49 He said, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I had to be here, dealing with the things of my Father?"

50 But they had no idea what he was talking about.

51 So he went back to Nazareth with them, and lived obediently with them. His mother held these things dearly, deep within herself.

52 And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people.