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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.

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There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.

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Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

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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.

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For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

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This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”

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Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,

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“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”

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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.”

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They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.

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When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

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All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.

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But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

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The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

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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.

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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

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(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),

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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.”

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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.

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It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

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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,

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then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

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“Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;

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for my eyes have seen your salvation,

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which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;

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a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”

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Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him,

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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.

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Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

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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,

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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.

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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.

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When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

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The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

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His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.

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When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast,

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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,

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but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.

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When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.

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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.

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All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

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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.”

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He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

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They didn’t understand the saying which he spoke to them.

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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.

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And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

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Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

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in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

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He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.

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As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.

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Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.

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All flesh will see God’s salvation.’”

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He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

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Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!

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Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.”

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The multitudes asked him, “What then must we do?”

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He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”

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Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?”

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He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.”

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Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”

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As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,

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John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,

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whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

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Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people,

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but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,

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added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

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Now it happened, when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky was opened,

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and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”

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Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,

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

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

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the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,

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the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

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the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,

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

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

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the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

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the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

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the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

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the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

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

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the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

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the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,

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the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

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Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

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for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry.

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The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

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Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”

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The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

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The devil said to him, “I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want.

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If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.”

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Jesus answered him, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”

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He led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here,

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for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’

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and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’”

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Jesus answering, said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

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When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time.

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Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area.

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He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

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He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.