18
Everyone who heard the shepherds' story was amazed.
19
Mary treasured all these things in her heart and always thought about them.
20
As the shepherds returned to their flock, they glorified and praised God for everything they had seen and heard. Everything happened the way the angel had told them.
21
Eight days after his birth, the child was circumcised and named Jesus. This was the name the angel had given him before his mother became pregnant.
22
After the days required by Moses' Teachings to make a mother clean had passed, Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem. They took Jesus to present him to the Lord.
23
They did exactly what was written in the Lord's Teachings: "Every firstborn boy is to be set apart as holy to the Lord."
24
They also offered a sacrifice as required by the Lord's Teachings: "a pair of mourning doves or two young pigeons."
25
A man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. He lived an honorable and devout life. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel. The Holy Spirit was with Simeon
26
and had told him that he wouldn't die until he had seen the Messiah, whom the Lord would send.
27
Moved by the Spirit, Simeon went into the temple courtyard. Mary and Joseph were bringing the child Jesus into the courtyard at the same time. They brought him so that they could do for him what Moses' Teachings required.
28
Then Simeon took the child in his arms and praised God by saying,