Study Desk

And child, you will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways,

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

Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place.

But the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:

Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.

This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough."

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.

When the eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named Jesus—the name given by the angel before He was conceived.

Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law,

For my eyes have seen Your salvation.

a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel.

and was a widow for 84 years. She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.

Every year His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.

Assuming He was in the traveling party, they went a day's journey. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends.

When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him.

When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You."

"Why were you searching for Me?" He asked them. "Didn't you know that I had to be in My Father's house?"

He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,

as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight!

Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don't start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones!