Study Desk

The Birth of Jesus

In those days Caesar Augustus^(a) issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.^(b)

(This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)^(c)

And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem^(d) the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him^(e) and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

An angel^(f) of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.^(g) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

Today in the town of David a Savior^(h) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,⁽ⁱ⁾ the Lord.^(j)

This will be a sign^(k) to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace^(l) to those on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.^(m)

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,

and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.⁽ⁿ⁾

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God^(o) for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child,^(p) he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.^(q)

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses,^(r) Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"^[b]),^(s)

and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."^[c](t)

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.^(u) He was waiting for the consolation of Israel,^(v) and the Holy Spirit was on him.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,^(w)

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,^(x) you may now dismiss^[d] your servant in peace.^(y)

For my eyes have seen your salvation,^(z)

which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:

a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel."^(aa)

The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:^(ab) "This child is destined to cause the falling^(ac) and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,

so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

There was also a prophet,^(ad) Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,

and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.^[e](ae) She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.^(af)

Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.^(ag)

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.^(ah)

And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.^(ai)

Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.^(aj)

When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.

After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.

Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.

When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.

After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

Everyone who heard him was amazed^(ak) at his understanding and his answers.

When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother^(al) said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father^(am) and I have been anxiously searching for you."

"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"^[f](an)

But they did not understand what he was saying to them.^(ao)

Then he went down to Nazareth with them^(ap) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.^(aq)

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.^(ar)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(a)(b)

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate^(c) was governor of Judea, Herod^(d) tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—

during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,^(e) the word of God came to John^(f) son of Zechariah^(g) in the wilderness.

He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^(h)

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.

Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.

And all people will see God's salvation.'"^[a](i)

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers!^(j) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^(k)

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.'^(l) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."^(m)

"What should we do then?"⁽ⁿ⁾ the crowd asked.

John answered, "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same."^(o)

Even tax collectors came to be baptized.^(p) "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"

"Don't collect any more than you are required to,"^(q) he told them.

Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely^(r)—be content with your pay."

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John^(s) might possibly be the Messiah.^(t)

John answered them all, "I baptize you with^[b] water.^(u) But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with^[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.^(v)

His winnowing fork^(w) is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."^(x)

And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

But when John rebuked Herod^(y) the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done,

Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.^(z)

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying,^(ac) heaven was opened

and the Holy Spirit descended on him^(ad) in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son,^(ae) whom I love; with you I am well pleased."^(af)

Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.^(ag) He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,^(ah) the son of Heli,

the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josek, the son of Joda,

the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel,^(ai) the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,^(aj) the son of David,

the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon,^[d] the son of Nahshon,

the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,^[e] the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,^(ak) the son of Judah,

the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,^(al)

the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad,^(am) the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,^(an)

the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan,^(ao)

the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.^(ap)