1 But it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census should be made of all the habitable world.2 The census itself first took place when Cyrenius had the government of Syria.3 And all went to be inscribed in the census roll, each to his own city:4 and Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city Nazareth to Judaea, to David's city, the which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,5 to be inscribed in the census roll with Mary who was betrothed to him {as his} wife, she being great with child.6 And it came to pass, while they were there, the days of her giving birth {to her child} were fulfilled,7 and she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him up in swaddling-clothes and laid him in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.8 And there were shepherds in that country abiding without, and keeping watch by night over their flock.9 And lo, an angel of {the} Lord was there by them, and {the} glory of {the} Lord shone around them, and they feared {with} great fear.10 And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people;11 for to-day a Saviour has been born to you in David's city, who is Christ {the} Lord.12 And this is the sign to you: ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and lying in a manger.13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men.15 And it came to pass, as the angels departed from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, Let us make our way then now as far as Bethlehem, and let us see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.16 And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger;17 and having seen {it} they made known about the country the thing which had been said to them concerning this child.18 And all who heard {it} wondered at the things said to them by the shepherds.19 But Mary kept all these things {in her mind}, pondering {them} in her heart.20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all things which they had heard and seen, as it had been said to them.21 And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called Jesus, which was the name given by the angel before he had been conceived in the womb.22 And when the days were fulfilled for their purifying according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem to present {him} to the Lord23 (as it is written in the law of {the} Lord: Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord),24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of {the} Lord: A pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was just and pious, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and {the} Holy Spirit was upon him.26 And it was divinely communicated to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he should see {the} Lord's Christ.27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and as the parents brought in the child Jesus that they might do for him according to the custom of the law,28 *he* received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,29 Lord, now thou lettest thy bondman go, according to thy word, in peace;30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,31 which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;32 a light for revelation of {the} Gentiles and {the} glory of thy people Israel.33 And his father and mother wondered at the things which were said concerning him.34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Lo, this {child} is set for the fall and rising up of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against;35 (and even a sword shall go through thine own soul;) so that {the} thoughts may be revealed from many hearts.36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of {the} tribe of Asher, who was far advanced in years, having lived with {her} husband seven years from her virginity,37 and herself a widow up to eighty-four years; who did not depart from the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers;38 and she coming up the same hour gave praise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who waited for redemption in Jerusalem.39 And when they had completed all things according to the law of {the} Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own city Nazareth.40 And the child grew and waxed strong {in spirit}, filled with wisdom, and God's grace was upon him.41 And his parents went yearly to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover.42 And when he was twelve years old, and they went up {to Jerusalem} according to the custom of the feast43 and had completed the days, as they returned, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents knew not {of it};44 but, supposing him to be in the company that journeyed together, they went a day's journey, and sought him among their relations and acquaintances:45 and not having found him they returned to Jerusalem seeking him.46 And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers and hearing them and asking them questions.47 And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.48 And when they saw him they were amazed: and his mother said to him, Child, why hast thou dealt thus with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee distressed.49 And he said to them, Why {is it} that ye have sought me? did ye not know that I ought to be {occupied} in my Father's business?50 And they understood not the thing that he said to them.51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was in subjection to them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.

1 En in daardie dae het daar 'n bevel uitgegaan van keiser Augustus dat die hele wêreld ingeskryf moes word.2 Hierdie eerste inskrywing het plaasgevind toe Cir,nius goewerneur van S¡rië was.3 En almal het gegaan om ingeskryf te word, elkeen na sy eie stad.4 En Josef het ook opgegaan van Galil,a, uit die stad N saret, na Jud,a, na die stad van Dawid, wat Betlehem genoem word, omdat hy uit die huis en geslag van Dawid was,5 om hom te laat inskrywe saam met Maria, die vrou aan wie hy hom verloof het, wat swanger was.6 En terwyl hulle daar was, is die dae vervul dat sy moes baar;7 en sy het haar eersgebore Seun gebaar en Hom toegedraai in doeke en Hom in die krip neergelê, omdat daar vir hulle geen plek in die herberg was nie.8 En daar was herders in dieselfde landstreek, wat in die oop veld gebly en in die nag oor hulle skape wag gehou het.9 En meteens staan daar 'n engel van die Here by hulle, en die heerlikheid van die Here het rondom hulle geskyn en groot vrees het hulle oorweldig.10 En die engel sê vir hulle: Moenie vrees nie, want kyk, ek bring julle 'n goeie tyding van groot blydskap wat vir die hele volk sal wees,11 dat vir julle vandag in die stad van Dawid gebore is die Saligmaker wat Christus, die Here, is.12 En dit is vir julle die teken: julle sal 'n Kindjie vind wat in doeke toegedraai is en wat in die krip lê.13 En skielik was daar saam met die engel 'n menigte van die hemelse leërskare wat God prys en sê:14 Eer aan God in die hoogste hemele en vrede op aarde, in die mense 'n welbehae!15 En toe die engele van hulle weggegaan het na die hemel, sê die herders vir mekaar: Laat ons dan na Betlehem gaan en hierdie ding sien wat gebeur het, wat die Here aan ons bekend gemaak het.16 En hulle het met haas gegaan en Maria en Josef gevind en die kindjie wat in die krip lê.17 En toe hulle dit gesien het, het hulle oral die woord bekend gemaak wat aan hulle van die Kindjie vertel is.18 En almal wat dit gehoor het, was verwonderd oor wat deur die herders aan hulle vertel is;19 maar Maria het al hierdie woorde bewaar en in haar hart oordink.20 En die herders het teruggegaan en God verheerlik en geprys oor alles wat hulle gehoor en gesien het, net soos aan hulle gesê is.21 En toe agt dae vervul was, dat hulle die Kindjie sou besny, het hulle Hom Jesus genoem, die naam wat deur die engel gegee is voor sy ontvangenis in die moederskoot.22 En nadat die dae van haar reiniging volgens die wet van Moses vervul was, het hulle Hom na Jerusalem gebring om Hom aan die Here voor te stel,23 soos geskrywe is in die wet van die Here: Elke manlike kind wat die moederskoot open, sal heilig vir die Here genoem word;24 en om die offer te gee volgens wat gesê is in die wet van die Here: 'n paar tortelduiwe of twee jong duiwe.25 En daar was 'n man in Jerusalem met die naam van S¡meon; en hierdie man was regverdig en vroom en het die vertroosting van Israel verwag, en die Heilige Gees was op hom.26 En aan hom was dit deur die Heilige Gees geopenbaar dat hy die dood nie sou sien voordat hy die Christus van die Here gesien het nie.27 En hy het deur die Gees in die tempel gekom; en toe die ouers die Kindjie Jesus inbring om met Hom te handel volgens die gebruik van die wet,28 het hy Hom in sy arms geneem en God geloof en gesê:29 Nou laat U, Here, u dienskneg gaan in vrede volgens u woord,30 omdat my oë u heil gesien het,31 wat U berei het voor die oë van al die volke --32 'n lig tot verligting van die nasies en tot heerlikheid van u volk Israel.33 En Josef en sy moeder het hulle verwonder oor die dinge wat van Hom gesê is.34 En S¡meon het hulle geseënen aan Maria, sy moeder, gesê: Kyk, hierdie Kind is bestemd tot 'n val en 'n opstanding van baie in Israel en tot 'n teken wat weerspreek sal word --35 ja, 'n swaard sal deur jou eie siel gaan -- sodat die gedagtes uit baie harte openbaar kan word.36 En daar was Anna, 'n profetes, die dogter van F nuel, uit die stam van Aser. Sy was op baie ver gevorderde leeftyd en het van haar maagdom af sewe jaar lank met haar man saamgelewe;37 en sy was 'n weduwee van omtrent vier en tagtig jaar. Sy het nie weggebly van die tempel nie, en met vaste en gebede God gedien, nag en dag.38 En sy het in dieselfde uur daar gekom en die Here geprys en van Hom gespreek met almal in Jerusalem wat die verlossing verwag het.39 En toe hulle alles volbring het wat volgens die wet van die Here was, het hulle teruggegaan na Galil,a, na hulle stad N saret.40 En die Kindjie het gegroei en sterk geword in die Gees en vol van wysheid. En die genade van God was op Hom.41 En sy ouers was gewoond om elke jaar met die paasfees na Jerusalem te gaan.42 En toe Hy twaalf jaar oud was, het hulle, volgens die gebruik van die fees, na Jerusalem opgegaan.43 En nadat die feesdae vir hulle verby was, en terwyl hulle teruggaan, het die Kind Jesus in Jerusalem agtergebly; en Josef en sy moeder het dit nie geweet nie.44 Maar omdat hulle gedink het dat Hy by die reisgeselskap was, het hulle 'n dagreis ver gegaan en Hom onder die familie en onder die bekendes gesoek.45 En toe hulle Hom nie vind nie, het hulle teruggegaan na Jerusalem en Hom gesoek.46 En n drie dae het hulle Hom in die tempel gevind, terwyl Hy in die midde van die leraars sit en na hulle luister en hulle uitvra.47 En almal wat Hom gehoor het, was verbaas oor sy verstand en sy antwoorde.48 En toe hulle Hom sien, was hulle verslae. En sy moeder sê vir Hom: Kind, waarom het jy so met ons gemaak? Kyk, jou vader en ek het jou met angs gesoek.49 En Hy sê vir hulle: Waarom het u My gesoek? Het u nie geweet dat Ek in die dinge van my Vader moet wees nie?50 En hulle het die woord wat Hy aan hulle gesê het, nie verstaan nie.51 En Hy het saam met hulle gegaan en in N saret gekom, en Hy was hulle onderdanig. En sy moeder het al hierdie dinge in haar hart bewaar.52 En Jesus het toegeneem in wysheid en grootte en in genade by God en die mense.