Bible Reading for March 30 and 31
World English Bible
Mar.
30
Leviticus
15, 16
Lev
15:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
Lev
15:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, 'When any
man has a discharge from his body, because of his discharge he is
unclean.
Lev
15:3 This shall be his uncleanness in his discharge: whether his
body runs with his discharge, or his body has stopped from his
discharge, it is his uncleanness.
Lev
15:4 " 'Every bed whereon he who has the discharge lies shall
be unclean; and everything he sits on shall be unclean.
Lev
15:5 Whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe
himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
Lev
15:6 He who sits on anything whereon the man who has the discharge
sat shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be
unclean until the evening.
Lev
15:7 " 'He who touches the body of him who has the discharge
shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean
until the evening.
Lev
15:8 " 'If he who has the discharge spits on him who is clean,
then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be
unclean until the evening.
Lev
15:9 " 'Whatever saddle he who has the discharge rides on shall
be unclean.
Lev
15:10 Whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean
until the evening. He who carries those things shall wash his
clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the
evening.
Lev
15:11 " 'Whoever he who has the discharge touches, without
having rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and
bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
Lev
15:12 " 'The earthen vessel, which he who has the discharge
touches, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in
water.
Lev
15:13 " 'When he who has a discharge is cleansed of his
discharge, then he shall count to himself seven days for his
cleansing, and wash his clothes; and he shall bathe his flesh in
running water, and shall be clean.
Lev
15:14 " 'On the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves, or
two young pigeons, and come before Yahweh to the door of the Tent of
Meeting, and give them to the priest:
Lev
15:15 and the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering,
and the other for a burnt offering. The priest shall make atonement
for him before Yahweh for his discharge.
Lev
15:16 " 'If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall
bathe all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the evening.
Lev
15:17 Every garment, and every skin, whereon the semen is, shall be
washed with water, and be unclean until the evening.
Lev
15:18 If a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen,
they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the
evening.
Lev
15:19 " 'If a woman has a discharge, and her discharge in her
flesh is blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days: and whoever
touches her shall be unclean until the evening.
Lev
15:20 " 'Everything that she lies on in her impurity shall be
unclean. Everything also that she sits on shall be unclean.
Lev
15:21 Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe
himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
Lev
15:22 Whoever touches anything that she sits on shall wash his
clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the
evening.
Lev
15:23 If it is on the bed, or on anything whereon she sits, when he
touches it, he shall be unclean until the evening.
Lev
15:24 " 'If any man lies with her, and her monthly flow is on
him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed whereon he lies
shall be unclean.
Lev
15:25 " 'If a woman has a discharge of her blood many days not
in the time of her period, or if she has a discharge beyond the time
of her period; all the days of the discharge of her uncleanness shall
be as in the days of her period: she is unclean.
Lev
15:26 Every bed whereon she lies all the days of her discharge shall
be to her as the bed of her period: and everything whereon she sits
shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her period.
Lev
15:27 Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash
his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the
evening.
Lev
15:28 " 'But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she
shall count to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
Lev
15:29 On the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves, or two young
pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the Tent of
Meeting.
Lev
15:30 The priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the
other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for
her before Yahweh for the uncleanness of her discharge.
Lev
15:31 " 'Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from
their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness, when
they defile my tabernacle that is in their midst.' "
Lev
15:32 This is the law of him who has a discharge, and of him who has
an emission of semen, so that he is unclean thereby;
Lev
15:33 and of her who has her period, and of a man or woman who has a
discharge, and of him who lies with her who is unclean.
Lev
16:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of
Aaron, when they drew near before Yahweh, and died;
Lev
16:2 and Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron your brother, not to
come at all times into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before
the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die: for I will appear in
the cloud on the mercy seat.
Lev
16:3 "Herewith shall Aaron come into the sanctuary: with a
young bull for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
Lev
16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the
linen breeches on his body, and shall put on the linen sash, and he
shall be dressed with the linen turban. They are the holy garments.
He shall bathe his body in water, and put them on.
Lev
16:5 He shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel
two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
Lev
16:6 "Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering, which is
for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house.
Lev
16:7 He shall take the two goats, and set them before Yahweh at the
door of the Tent of Meeting.
Lev
16:8 Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats; one lot for Yahweh,
and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Lev
16:9 Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for Yahweh,
and offer him for a sin offering.
Lev
16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell for the scapegoat, shall
be presented alive before Yahweh, to make atonement for him, to send
him away for the scapegoat into the wilderness.
Lev
16:11 "Aaron shall present the bull of the sin offering, which
is for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his
house, and shall kill the bull of the sin offering which is for
himself.
Lev
16:12 He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the
altar before Yahweh, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small,
and bring it within the veil:
Lev
16:13 and he shall put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, that
the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the
testimony, so that he will not die.
Lev
16:14 He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it
with his finger on the mercy seat on the east; and before the mercy
seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
Lev
16:15 "Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, that is
for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his
blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the
mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
Lev
16:16 and he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the
uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their
transgressions, even all their sins; and so he shall do for the Tent
of Meeting, that dwells with them in the midst of their uncleanness.
Lev
16:17 There shall be no one in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to
make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made
atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly
of Israel.
Lev
16:18 "He shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and
make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull's blood, and
some of the goat's blood, and put it around on the horns of the
altar.
Lev
16:19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger
seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of
the children of Israel.
Lev
16:20 "When he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place,
the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
Lev
16:21 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat,
and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel,
and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put
them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the
wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.
Lev
16:22 The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a
solitary land, and he shall let the goat go in the wilderness.
Lev
16:23 "Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting, and shall
take off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the
Holy Place, and shall leave them there.
Lev
16:24 Then he shall bathe himself in water in a holy place, and put
on his garments, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the
burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for
the people.
Lev
16:25 The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.
Lev
16:26 "He who lets the goat go for the scapegoat shall wash his
clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come
into the camp.
Lev
16:27 The bull for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin
offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy
Place, shall be carried forth outside the camp; and they shall burn
their skins, their flesh, and their dung with fire.
Lev
16:28 He who burns them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh
in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
Lev
16:29 "It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh
month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls,
and shall do no manner of work, the native-born, or the stranger who
lives as a foreigner among you:
Lev
16:30 for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse
you; from all your sins you shall be clean before Yahweh.
Lev
16:31 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict
your souls; it is a statute forever.
Lev
16:32 The priest, who is anointed and who is consecrated to be
priest in his father's place, shall make the atonement, and shall put
on the linen garments, even the holy garments.
Lev
16:33 Then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary; and he
shall make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and for the altar; and
he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the
assembly.
Lev
16:34 "This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make
atonement for the children of Israel once in the year because of all
their sins." It was done as Yahweh commanded Moses.
Leviticus
17, 18
Lev
17:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev
17:2 "Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children
of Israel, and say to them: 'This is the thing which Yahweh has
commanded,
Lev
17:3 Whatever man there is of the house of Israel, who kills a bull,
or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp,
Lev
17:4 and hasn't brought it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to
offer it as an offering to Yahweh before the tabernacle of Yahweh:
blood shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man
shall be cut off from among his people.
Lev
17:5 This is to the end that the children of Israel may bring their
sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field, that they may
bring them to Yahweh, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to the
priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace offerings to
Yahweh.
Lev
17:6 The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of Yahweh at
the door of the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat for a pleasant
aroma to Yahweh.
Lev
17:7 They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat
idols, after which they play the prostitute. This shall be a statute
forever to them throughout their generations.'
Lev
17:8 "You shall say to them, 'Any man there is of the house of
Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who
offers a burnt offering or sacrifice,
Lev
17:9 and doesn't bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to
sacrifice it to Yahweh; that man shall be cut off from his people.
Lev
17:10 " 'Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers
who live as foreigners among them, who eats any kind of blood, I will
set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off
from among his people.
Lev
17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it
to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the
blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.
Lev
17:12 Therefore I have said to the children of Israel, "No
person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who
lives as a foreigner among you eat blood."
Lev
17:13 " 'Whatever man there is of the children of Israel, or of
the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who takes in hunting
any animal or bird that may be eaten; he shall pour out its blood,
and cover it with dust.
Lev
17:14 For as to the life of all flesh, its blood is with its life:
therefore I said to the children of Israel, "You shall not eat
the blood of any kind of flesh; for the life of all flesh is its
blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off."
Lev
17:15 " 'Every person that eats what dies of itself, or that
which is torn by animals, whether he is native-born or a foreigner,
he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean
until the evening: then he shall be clean.
Lev
17:16 But if he doesn't wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall
bear his iniquity.' "
Lev
18:1 Yahweh said to Moses,
Lev
18:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, 'I am
Yahweh your God.
Lev
18:3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you
lived: and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I
am bringing you; neither shall you walk in their statutes.
Lev
18:4 You shall do my ordinances, and you shall keep my statutes, and
walk in them: I am Yahweh your God.
Lev
18:5 You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances; which
if a man does, he shall live in them: I am Yahweh.
Lev
18:6 " 'None of you shall approach anyone who are his close
relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahweh.
Lev
18:7 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor
the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not
uncover her nakedness.
Lev
18:8 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's
wife: it is your father's nakedness.
Lev
18:9 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the
daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born
at home, or born abroad.
Lev
18:10 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son's
daughter, or of your daughter's daughter, even their nakedness: for
theirs is your own nakedness.
Lev
18:11 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's
wife's daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister.
Lev
18:12 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's
sister: she is your father's near kinswoman.
Lev
18:13 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's
sister: for she is your mother's near kinswoman.
Lev
18:14 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's
brother, you shall not approach his wife: she is your aunt.
Lev
18:15 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your
daughter-in-law: she is your son's wife. You shall not uncover her
nakedness.
Lev
18:16 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's
wife: it is your brother's nakedness.
Lev
18:17 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her
daughter. You shall not take her son's daughter, or her daughter's
daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are near kinswomen: it is
wickedness.
Lev
18:18 " 'You shall not take a wife to her sister, to be a
rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is yet alive.
Lev
18:19 " 'You shall not approach a woman to uncover her
nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.
Lev
18:20 " 'You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife,
and defile yourself with her.
Lev
18:21 " 'You shall not give any of your children to sacrifice
to Molech; neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am
Yahweh.
Lev
18:22 " 'You shall not lie with a man, as with a woman. That is
detestable.
Lev
18:23 " 'You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself
with it; neither shall any woman give herself to an animal, to lie
down with it: it is a perversion.
Lev
18:24 " 'Don't defile yourselves in any of these things: for in
all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled.
Lev
18:25 The land was defiled: therefore I punished its iniquity, and
the land vomited out her inhabitants.
Lev
18:26 You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and
shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor
the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you;
Lev
18:27 (for all these abominations have the men of the land done,
that were before you, and the land became defiled);
Lev
18:28 that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as
it vomited out the nation that was before you.
Lev
18:29 " 'For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even
the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people.
Lev
18:30 Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not
practice any of these abominable customs, which were practiced before
you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them: I am Yahweh
your God.' "
Mar. 30
Luke 1
Luk 1:1
Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning
those matters which have been fulfilled among us,
Luk 1:2
even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants
of the word delivered them to us,
Luk 1:3
it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things
accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent
Theophilus;
Luk 1:4
that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you
were instructed.
Luk 1:5
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest
named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of
the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
Luk 1:6
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the
commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
Luk 1:7
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both
were well advanced in years.
Luk 1:8
Now it happened, while he executed the priest's office before God in
the order of his division,
Luk 1:9
according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter
into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Luk
1:10 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the
hour of incense.
Luk
1:11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right
side of the altar of incense.
Luk
1:12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
Luk
1:13 But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias,
because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will
bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
Luk
1:14 You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his
birth.
Luk
1:15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will
drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy
Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
Luk
1:16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their
God.
Luk
1:17 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 a people prepared for the
Lord."
Luk
1:18 Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."
Luk
1:19 The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the
presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this
good news.
Luk
1:20 Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day
that these things will happen, because you didn't believe my words,
which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
Luk
1:21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that
he delayed in the temple.
Luk
1:22 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they
perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued
making signs to them, and remained mute.
Luk
1:23 It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he
departed to his house.
Luk
1:24 After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid
herself five months, saying,
Luk
1:25 "Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he
looked at me, to take away my reproach among men."
Luk
1:26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to
a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Luk
1:27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
Luk
1:28 Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you
highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among
women!"
Luk
1:29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying,
and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
Luk
1:30 The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you
have found favor with God.
Luk
1:31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son,
and will call his name 'Jesus.'
Luk
1:32 He 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,
Luk
1:33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will
be no end to his Kingdom."
Luk
1:34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a
virgin?"
Luk
1:35 The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also
the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
Luk
1:36 Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in
her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called
barren.
Luk
1:37 For everything spoken by God is possible."
Luk
1:38 Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me
according to your word." The angel departed from her.
Luk
1:39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with
haste, into a city of Judah,
Luk
1:40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
Luk
1:41 It happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the
baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy
Spirit.
Luk
1:42 She called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are
you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Luk
1:43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to
me?
Luk
1:44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears,
the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
Luk
1:45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of
the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"
Luk
1:46 Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord.
Luk
1:47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
Luk
1:48 for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For
behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
Luk
1:49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his
name.
Luk
1:50 His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear
him.
Luk
1:51 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud
in the imagination of their hearts.
Luk
1:52 He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the
lowly.
Luk
1:53 He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich
away empty.
Luk
1:54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might
remember mercy,
Luk
1:55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever."
Luk
1:56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to
her house.
Luk
1:57 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled,
and she brought forth a son.
Luk
1:58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had
magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.
Luk
1:59 It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the
child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of
the father.
Luk
1:60 His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."
Luk
1:61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives
who is called by this name."
Luk
1:62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
Luk
1:63 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is
John." They all marveled.
Luk
1:64 His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he
spoke, blessing God.
Luk
1:65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings
were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
Luk
1:66 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What
then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.
Luk
1:67 His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and
prophesied, saying,
Luk
1:68 "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has
visited and worked redemption for his people;
Luk
1:69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of
his servant David
Luk
1:70 (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been
from of old),
Luk
1:71 salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate
us;
Luk
1:72 to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy
covenant,
Luk
1:73 the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father,
Luk
1:74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our
enemies, should serve him without fear,
Luk
1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our
life.
Luk
1:76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for
you will go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways,
Luk
1:77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission
of their sins,
Luk
1:78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from
on high will visit us,
Luk
1:79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death;
to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Luk
1:80 The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was
in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Luke 2
Luk 2:1
Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar
Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
Luk 2:2
This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of
Syria.
Luk 2:3
All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
Luk 2:4
Joseph 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 family of David;
Luk 2:5
to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as
wife, being pregnant.
Luk 2:6
It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she
should give birth.
Luk 2:7
She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of
cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room
for them in the inn.
Luk 2:8
There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and
keeping watch by night over their flock.
Luk 2:9
Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the
Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
Luk
2:10 The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I
bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
Luk
2:11 For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a
Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luk
2:12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips
of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."
Luk
2:13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
army praising God, and saying,
Luk
2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will
toward men."
Luk
2:15 It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky,
that the shepherds said one to another, "Let's go to Bethlehem,
now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made
known to us."
Luk
2:16 They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the
baby was lying in the feeding trough.
Luk
2:17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was
spoken to them about this child.
Luk
2:18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to
them by the shepherds.
Luk
2:19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
Luk
2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
Luk
2:21 When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the
child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before
he was conceived in the womb.
Luk
2:22 When the days of their purification according to the law of
Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present
him to the Lord
Luk
2:23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who
opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"),
Luk
2:24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the
law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."
Luk
2:25 Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of
Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
Luk
2:26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should
not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Luk
2:27 He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought
in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to
the custom of the law,
Luk
2:28 then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Luk
2:29 "Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to
your word, in peace;
Luk
2:30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
Luk
2:31 which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;
Luk
2:32 a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your
people Israel."
Luk
2:33 Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were
spoken concerning him,
Luk
2:34 and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Behold,
this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel,
and for a sign which is spoken against.
Luk
2:35 Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the
thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
Luk
2:36 There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of
the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a
husband seven years from her virginity,
Luk
2:37 and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who
didn't depart from the temple, worshipping with fastings and
petitions night and day.
Luk
2:38 Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and
spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in
Jerusalem.
Luk
2:39 When they had accomplished all things that were according to
the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city,
Nazareth.
Luk
2:40 The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being
filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
Luk
2:41 His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the
Passover.
Luk
2:42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem
according to the custom of the feast,
Luk
2:43 and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother
didn't know it,
Luk
2:44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's
journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and
acquaintances.
Luk
2:45 When they didn't find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking
for him.
Luk
2:46 It happened after three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and
asking them questions.
Luk
2:47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his
answers.
Luk
2:48 When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to
him, "Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father
and I were anxiously looking for you."
Luk
2:49 He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you
know that I must be in my Father's house?"
Luk
2:50 They didn't understand the saying which he spoke to them.
Luk
2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was
subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Luk
2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with
God and men.
