Holman Christian Standard Bible (301 page)

80
 The child grew up and became spiritually strong, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Luke

The Birth of Jesus

2
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered.
2
 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 
3
 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

4
 And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 
5
 to be registered along with Mary, who was
•engaged
to him and was pregnant.
6
 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7
 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.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8
 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.
9
 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 
10
 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: 
11
 Today a Savior, who is
•Messiah
 the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.
12
 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

13
 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

15
 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16
 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough.
17
 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child,
18
 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19
 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.
20
 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.

The Circumcision and Presentation of Jesus

21
 When the eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named Jesus  — the name given by the angel before He was conceived. 
22
 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
23
 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord:
Every firstborn male
 
will be dedicated
 
to the Lord
)
24
 and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord:
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons
).

Simeon's Prophetic Praise

25
 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel's consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
26
 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord's Messiah. 
27
 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,
28
 Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said:

33
 His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about Him.
34
 Then Simeon blessed them and told His mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed  —
35
 and a sword will pierce your own soul — that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Anna's Testimony

36
 There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
37
 and was a widow for 84 years. She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. 
38
 At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the
•redemption
of Jerusalem.

The Family's Return to Nazareth

39
 When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 
40
 The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God's grace was on Him. 

In His Father's House

41
 Every year His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the
•Passover
Festival. 
42
 When He was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. 
43
 After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents did not know it.
44
 Assuming He was in the traveling party, they went a day's journey. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends.
45
 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him.
46
 After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47
 And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.
48
 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.” 

49
 “Why were you searching for Me? ”
He asked them.
“Didn't you know that I had to be in My Father's house? ”
 
50
 But they did not understand what He said to them. 

In Favor with God and with People

51
 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart. 
52
 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people. 

Luke

The Messiah's Herald

3
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius
•Pilate
was governor of Judea, 
•Herod
was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 
2
 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, God's word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 
3
 He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
4
 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

7
 He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8
 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!
9
 Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” 

10
 “What then should we do? ” the crowds were asking him.

11
 He replied to them, “The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.” 

12
 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do? ” 

13
 He told them, “Don't collect any more than what you have been authorized.”

14
 Some soldiers also questioned him: “What should we do? ”

He said to them, “Don't take money from anyone by force or false accusation; be satisfied with your wages.”

15
 Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds whether John might be the
•Messiah
. 
16
 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
17
 His winnowing shovel is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out.” 
18
 Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people.
19
 But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him about Herodias, his brother's wife, and about all the evil things Herod had done, 
20
 added this to everything else — he locked John up in prison. 

The Baptism of Jesus

21
 When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying, heaven opened,
22
 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

23
 As He began His ministry, Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be the

Luke

The Temptation of Jesus

4
Then Jesus returned from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness
2
 for 40 days to be tempted by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, He was hungry.
3
 The Devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4
 But Jesus answered him,
“It is written:
Man must not live on bread alone.
”
, 

5
 So he took Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6
 The Devil said to Him, “I will give You their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want.
7
 If You, then, will worship me, all will be Yours.”

8
 And Jesus answered him, 
“It is written:

9
 So he took Him to Jerusalem, had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.
10
 For it is written: