¹It came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the world.

²This first registration took place when Quirinius was governing Syria.

³And all were going to be registered, each to their own city.

⁴Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the City of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David,

⁵to register with Mary, who was betrothed to him as wife, she being with child.

⁶And it came to pass, in their being there, that the days were fulfilled for her giving birth,

⁷and she brought forth 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 there were shepherds in the same region, lodging in the fields and keeping watch by night over their flock.

⁹And behold, a messenger of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared with great fear.

¹⁰And the messenger said to them, Do not fear; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people:

¹¹for to you today has been born a Savior, who is the Anointed One, the Lord, in the City of David.

¹²And this is the sign to you: you will find a baby swaddled and lying in a manger.

¹³And suddenly there came with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:

¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on land wholeness among men of good-will.

¹⁵And it came to pass, as the messengers were departing from them into the heaven, that the men, the shepherds, were speaking to one another: Let us go indeed through to Bethlehem and let us see this declaration that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.

¹⁶And they came, when they had hurried, and they found both Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger.

¹⁷Now when they had seen, they made known concerning the word which had been told to them concerning this Child.

¹⁸And all those who had heard marveled concerning the things spoken by the shepherds to them.

¹⁹But Mary was treasuring up all these declarations, pondering them in her heart.

²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things which they had heard and seen, even as it was said to them.

²¹And when the eight days were fulfilled to circumcise him, then his name was called Jesus, which he had been called by the messenger before he was conceived in the womb.

²²And when the days of their purification were fulfilled according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,

²³even as it has been written in the law of the Lord, that every male opening a womb will be called holy to the Lord;

²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to that said in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.

²⁵And behold, 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 was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he may see the Anointed One of the Lord.

²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and in the time when the parents brought in the child Jesus, for the doing for him according to that accustomed by the law,

²⁸then he himself received him into his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹Now you dismiss your slave, Lord, according to your word, in wholeness;

³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation,

³¹which you have prepared before the face of all the peoples,

³²a light for revelation of the nations and glory of your people of Israel.

³³And his father and the mother were marveling at the things being spoken concerning him.

³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: Behold, this Child is appointed for the falling and rising up of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against —

³⁵and a sword will go through your own being also, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

³⁶And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she having advanced in great years, having lived with a husband seven years from her marriage;

³⁷and she was a widow until eighty and four years, who was not departing from the temple, with fastings and prayers serving night and day;

³⁸and this one, at that hour when she had come up, was giving praise to God and was speaking concerning him to all those waiting for the redemption in Jerusalem.

³⁹And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town Nazareth.

⁴⁰And the Child was continuing to grow, and he was being strengthened in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.

⁴¹And his parents were going every year to Jerusalem at the festival of the Passover.

⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up into Jerusalem according to the custom of the Festival.

⁴³And when they had completed the days, in their returning, Jesus the boy remained behind in Jerusalem, but the parents, Joseph and his mother, did not know.

⁴⁴Now when they had supposed him to be in their company, they went a day's journey and were seeking him among the relatives and among the acquaintances.

⁴⁵And when they had not found him, they returned to Jerusalem searching him.

⁴⁶And it came to pass after three days that they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them.

⁴⁷And all those hearing him were amazed at the understanding and at his answers.

⁴⁸And when they had seen him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him: Child, why did you do thus to us? Behold, your father and I myself, distressing, were seeking you.

⁴⁹And he said to them: Why is it you were seeking me? Surely you knew that it behooves me to be in the house of my Father?

⁵⁰And they themselves did not understand the word that he spoke to them.

⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them. And his mother was treasuring up all these declarations in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus was continuing to advance in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.