New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Luke 2
1
In those days, Caesar Augustus made a law. It required that a list be made of everyone in the whole Roman world.
Reference
People
3
All went to their own towns to be listed.
4
So Joseph went also. He went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea. That is where Bethlehem, the town of David, was. Joseph went there because he belonged to the family line of David.
Reference
5
He went there with Mary to be listed. Mary was engaged to him. She was expecting a baby.
7
She gave birth to her first baby. It was a boy. She wrapped him in large strips of cloth. Then she placed him in a manger. There was no room for them in the inn.
Reference
8
There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby. It was night, and they were looking after their sheep.
9
An angel of the Lord appeared to them. And the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terrified.
Reference
Glory
Isaiah 60:1
2 Corinthians 3:18
Revelation 18:1
1 Timothy 3:16
1 Kings 8:11
Parallel theme
Acts 27:23
10
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. It is for all the people.
Reference
11
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 9:6
References Christ
Acts 2:36
Matthew 16:16
1 John 5:1
Philippians 2:11
Matthew 1:16
References David
Luke 2:4
References Lord
Luke 1:43
Salvation
Matthew 1:21
John 4:42
12
Here is how you will know I am telling you the truth. You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger."
Reference
13
Suddenly a large group of angels from heaven also appeared. They were praising God. They said,
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 5:11
1 Kings 22:19
Hebrews 1:14
Psalm 148:2
Daniel 7:10
References God
Job 38:7
Ephesians 3:10
Genesis 28:12
Sin
Luke 15:10
Psalm 68:17
14
"May glory be given to God in the highest heaven! And may peace be given to those he is pleased with on earth!"
Reference
15
The angels left and went into heaven. Then the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem. Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
Reference
16
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby. The baby was lying in the manger.
Reference
17
After the shepherds had seen him, they told everyone. They reported what the angel had said about this child.
Reference
19
But Mary kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. She thought about them over and over.
Reference
20
The shepherds returned. They gave glory and praise to God. Everything they had seen and heard was just as they had been told.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 29:19
Psalm 107:21
Psalm 107:8
Psalm 107:15
References God
Acts 11:18
Psalm 106:48
Matthew 9:8
Luke 18:43
21
When the child was eight days old, he was circumcised. At the same time he was named Jesus. This was the name the angel had given him before his mother became pregnant.
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 12:3
Genesis 17:12
Luke 1:59
Philippians 2:8
References Jesus
Luke 1:31
Matthew 1:25
Matthew 3:15
Sin
Matthew 1:21
22
The time for making them pure came as it is written in the Law of Moses. So Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem. There they presented him to the Lord.
23
In the Law of the Lord it says, "The first boy born in every family must be set apart for the Lord."--(Exodus 13:2,12)
Reference
24
They also offered a sacrifice. They did it in keeping with the Law, which says, "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."--(Leviticus 12:8)
Reference
25
In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God's promise to Israel to happen. The Holy Spirit was with him.
Reference
People
Holy
Luke 1:41
2 Peter 1:21
Parallel theme
Isaiah 25:9
Mark 15:43
Isaiah 40:1
Luke 23:51
References Jerusalem
Luke 2:38
Righteousness
Luke 1:6
26
The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Reference
Holy
Acts 10:38
Parallel theme
John 8:51
Hebrews 11:5
Luke 9:27
References Christ
Acts 2:36
References Lord
Psalm 25:14
27
The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus' parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required.
Reference
29
"Lord, you are the King over all. Now let me, your servant, go in peace. That is what you promised.
Reference
31
You have prepared it in the sight of all people.
32
It is a light to be given to those who aren't Jews. It will bring glory to your people Israel."
Reference
Glory
Revelation 21:23
Isaiah 4:2
Isaiah 45:25
Isaiah 60:19
Light
Isaiah 49:6
Acts 26:23
Isaiah 9:2
Matthew 4:16
Parallel theme
Acts 28:28
33
The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him.
34
Then Simeon blessed them. He said to Mary, Jesus' mother, "This child is going to cause many people in Israel to fall and to rise. God has sent him. But many will speak against him.
Reference
Blessing
Hebrews 7:7
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 1:23
Matthew 21:44
Hosea 14:9
Acts 6:7
Romans 9:32
1 Peter 4:14
36
There was also a prophet named Anna. She was the daughter of Penuel from the tribe of Asher. Anna was very old. After getting married, she lived with her husband seven years.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Genesis 30:13
Revelation 7:6
Psalm 92:14
Job 5:26
1 Corinthians 12:1
Prophecy
Acts 21:9
Exodus 15:20
Acts 2:18
2 Kings 22:14
Judges 4:4
37
Then she was a widow until she was 84. She never left the temple. She worshiped night and day, praying and going without eating.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 23:6
Prayer
1 Timothy 5:5
Acts 14:23
Acts 13:3
References God
Acts 26:7
Temple
Psalm 27:4
38
Anna came up to Jesus' family at that very moment. She gave thanks to God. And she spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the time when Jerusalem would be set free.
Reference
39
Joseph and Mary did everything the Law of the Lord required. Then they returned to Galilee. They went to their own town of Nazareth.
Reference
40
And the child grew and became strong. He was very wise. He was blessed by God's grace.
Reference
Grace
John 1:14
Acts 4:33
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 2:26
1 Samuel 3:19
Psalm 22:9
Luke 2:47
1 Samuel 2:18
Judges 13:24
References God
Luke 2:52
Spirit
Luke 1:80
42
When he was 12 years old, they went up to the Feast as usual.
43
After the Feast was over, his parents left to go back home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But they were not aware of it.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 12:15
44
They thought he was somewhere in their group. So they traveled on for a day. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 2:3
45
They did not find him. So they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
46
After three days they found him in the temple courtyard. He was sitting with the teachers. He was listening to them and asking them questions.
Reference
47
Everyone who heard him was amazed at how much he understood. They also were amazed at his answers.
Reference
48
When his parents saw him, they were amazed. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried about you. We have been looking for you everywhere."
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 2:49
49
"Why were you looking for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
Reference
Parallel theme
John 6:38
John 8:29
Malachi 3:1
Psalm 40:8
John 4:34
Luke 2:48
John 5:17
Matthew 21:12
John 9:4
51
Then he went back to Nazareth with them, and he obeyed them. But his mother kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart.
Reference
Summary of Luke 2
Luke 2 begins by placing Jesus' birth within the political world of the Roman Empire, mentioning Emperor Augustus and a registration connected with Quirinius, although the precise chronological relationship between Luke's census reference and Herod the Great's reign remains an important historical question because Herod died in 4 BC, while Quirinius' well-documented governorship of Syria dates to approximately AD 6.
Joseph travels from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea because he belongs to the family line of David, and while he and Mary are there, Jesus is born and placed in a manger because suitable guest space is unavailable.
The humble circumstances of Jesus' birth contrast sharply with the titles given to Him, because the angels identify Him as Savior, Messiah, and Lord, presenting a child born in poverty as the promised ruler connected with David's royal line.
The first people invited to see Jesus are not political leaders, wealthy citizens, or religious authorities, but shepherds watching their flocks at night, and an angel announces to them that a great joy has arrived for all the people.
A large heavenly company then praises God and announces glory and peace, after which the shepherds immediately travel to Bethlehem and find Jesus exactly as they were told.
The shepherds tell others what they have seen and heard, and although everyone who hears the story is amazed, Mary quietly treasures these events and reflects upon them, showing her continuing role as a thoughtful witness to God's work.
Eight days after His birth, Jesus is circumcised and officially given the name announced by Gabriel before His conception, after which Mary and Joseph take Him to the Jerusalem Temple according to the requirements of Jewish law.
At the Temple, Simeon, a righteous and Spirit-guided man who has been waiting for Israel's consolation, recognizes Jesus as God's promised salvation and praises God because he has now seen what he had been waiting for.
Simeon declares that Jesus will be a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for Israel, expanding the significance of the Messiah beyond Israel while still grounding His mission in God's promises to His covenant people.
At the same time, Simeon warns Mary that Jesus will become a sign that is opposed and that a sword will pierce her own soul, foreshadowing the rejection, conflict, and suffering that will eventually surround Jesus' ministry.
Another important witness, Anna the prophetess, encounters Jesus in the Temple and begins thanking God while speaking about Him to people who are waiting for Jerusalem's redemption.
These two elderly witnesses, Simeon and Anna, therefore recognize the significance of Jesus while He is still an infant, showing that the story is being interpreted not simply as the birth of another child but as the arrival of God's promised salvation.
After completing everything required by the Law, Mary and Joseph return with Jesus to Nazareth, where He grows in strength and wisdom and lives an ordinary childhood before His public ministry begins.
Luke then moves forward approximately twelve years and describes Jesus traveling with His parents to Jerusalem for the Passover festival, as the family does every year.
After the festival ends, Mary and Joseph begin the journey home with the larger traveling group but discover after a day's journey that Jesus is not among their relatives and friends.
They return to Jerusalem and eventually find Him in the Temple courts, where He is sitting among religious teachers, listening to them, asking questions, and astonishing those who hear Him with His understanding and answers.
When Mary expresses the distress caused by His disappearance, Jesus responds by asking why they were searching for Him and explaining that they should have known He would be in His Father's house, providing the earliest recorded indication in Luke of His conscious awareness of a unique relationship with God.
Mary and Joseph do not fully understand His meaning, yet Jesus returns with them to Nazareth and remains obedient to them, showing that His awareness of His divine mission exists alongside genuine submission to His earthly family responsibilities.
The chapter concludes by saying that Jesus continues to grow in wisdom, physical maturity, and favor with God and people, providing a bridge between His childhood and the beginning of His public ministry.
Historically, Luke 2 spans a period beginning around the late 1st century BC and extending into the early 1st century AD, with the birth of Jesus traditionally placed around 6–4 BC, the final years of Herod the Great's reign, and His childhood extending through the early decades of the first century.
The chapter therefore connects several major historical and religious worlds: the Roman Empire under Augustus, the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, the Davidic tradition associated with Bethlehem, Jewish purification and circumcision practices, the annual Passover pilgrimage, and the rural Galilean setting of Nazareth.
Luke 2 ultimately presents Jesus as a child born in humble circumstances but identified from His earliest moments as the Savior, Messiah, Lord, and promised source of salvation, while the shepherds, Simeon, Anna, and even Jesus Himself gradually reveal that His mission will reach beyond ordinary human expectations and ultimately bring God's salvation to Israel and the nations.
Joseph travels from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea because he belongs to the family line of David, and while he and Mary are there, Jesus is born and placed in a manger because suitable guest space is unavailable.
The humble circumstances of Jesus' birth contrast sharply with the titles given to Him, because the angels identify Him as Savior, Messiah, and Lord, presenting a child born in poverty as the promised ruler connected with David's royal line.
The first people invited to see Jesus are not political leaders, wealthy citizens, or religious authorities, but shepherds watching their flocks at night, and an angel announces to them that a great joy has arrived for all the people.
A large heavenly company then praises God and announces glory and peace, after which the shepherds immediately travel to Bethlehem and find Jesus exactly as they were told.
The shepherds tell others what they have seen and heard, and although everyone who hears the story is amazed, Mary quietly treasures these events and reflects upon them, showing her continuing role as a thoughtful witness to God's work.
Eight days after His birth, Jesus is circumcised and officially given the name announced by Gabriel before His conception, after which Mary and Joseph take Him to the Jerusalem Temple according to the requirements of Jewish law.
At the Temple, Simeon, a righteous and Spirit-guided man who has been waiting for Israel's consolation, recognizes Jesus as God's promised salvation and praises God because he has now seen what he had been waiting for.
Simeon declares that Jesus will be a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for Israel, expanding the significance of the Messiah beyond Israel while still grounding His mission in God's promises to His covenant people.
At the same time, Simeon warns Mary that Jesus will become a sign that is opposed and that a sword will pierce her own soul, foreshadowing the rejection, conflict, and suffering that will eventually surround Jesus' ministry.
Another important witness, Anna the prophetess, encounters Jesus in the Temple and begins thanking God while speaking about Him to people who are waiting for Jerusalem's redemption.
These two elderly witnesses, Simeon and Anna, therefore recognize the significance of Jesus while He is still an infant, showing that the story is being interpreted not simply as the birth of another child but as the arrival of God's promised salvation.
After completing everything required by the Law, Mary and Joseph return with Jesus to Nazareth, where He grows in strength and wisdom and lives an ordinary childhood before His public ministry begins.
Luke then moves forward approximately twelve years and describes Jesus traveling with His parents to Jerusalem for the Passover festival, as the family does every year.
After the festival ends, Mary and Joseph begin the journey home with the larger traveling group but discover after a day's journey that Jesus is not among their relatives and friends.
They return to Jerusalem and eventually find Him in the Temple courts, where He is sitting among religious teachers, listening to them, asking questions, and astonishing those who hear Him with His understanding and answers.
When Mary expresses the distress caused by His disappearance, Jesus responds by asking why they were searching for Him and explaining that they should have known He would be in His Father's house, providing the earliest recorded indication in Luke of His conscious awareness of a unique relationship with God.
Mary and Joseph do not fully understand His meaning, yet Jesus returns with them to Nazareth and remains obedient to them, showing that His awareness of His divine mission exists alongside genuine submission to His earthly family responsibilities.
The chapter concludes by saying that Jesus continues to grow in wisdom, physical maturity, and favor with God and people, providing a bridge between His childhood and the beginning of His public ministry.
Historically, Luke 2 spans a period beginning around the late 1st century BC and extending into the early 1st century AD, with the birth of Jesus traditionally placed around 6–4 BC, the final years of Herod the Great's reign, and His childhood extending through the early decades of the first century.
The chapter therefore connects several major historical and religious worlds: the Roman Empire under Augustus, the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, the Davidic tradition associated with Bethlehem, Jewish purification and circumcision practices, the annual Passover pilgrimage, and the rural Galilean setting of Nazareth.
Luke 2 ultimately presents Jesus as a child born in humble circumstances but identified from His earliest moments as the Savior, Messiah, Lord, and promised source of salvation, while the shepherds, Simeon, Anna, and even Jesus Himself gradually reveal that His mission will reach beyond ordinary human expectations and ultimately bring God's salvation to Israel and the nations.