Luke 2

Jesus is presented to God

22 And when the days of their*The Text has ‘their’, not ‘her’; since a woman was not to have intercourse for forty days after giving birth to a boy (80 for a girl), Leviticus 12:2-5, her purification obviously affected her husband as well. purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens a womb shall be called holy to the Lord"*See Exodus 13:2, 12-15.), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was specified in the Lord’s Law, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons".*See Leviticus 12:8. The prescribed sacrifice was a lamb; only if the couple was too poor to bring a lamb could they substitute the birds (since they could be caught in the wild, the poorest of the poor could meet this requirement). Evidently Joseph and Mary could not afford a lamb, which indicates that they had not yet received the gifts from the magi.

Simeon

25 Well now, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, expectantly waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 (It had been revealed to him repeatedly by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw the Lord’s Messiah.*The Greek Text has ‘Christ’, but the Holy Spirit presumably used Hebrew to communicate with Simeon. The man evidently lived in communion with God, and thus the Holy Spirit could guide him at any time—here He sends him into the temple at just the right moment.) 27 So by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought the Child Jesus in, to do concerning Him according to the custom of the law, 28 Simeon took Him into his arms and blessed God and said:

29 "Sovereign,*Simon actually used the term from which we get ‘despot’, but in English this term has a negative flavor, unless one adds ‘benevolent’; but ‘benevolent despot’ does not work very well in direct address—so I render ‘Sovereign’. [When I myself address God, I habitually follow Simeon’s example—I also am His slave.] now You can release your slave in peace,

according to Your word,

30 because my eyes have seen Your salvation,

31 which You have prepared before the face of all peoples:

32 a light for revelation to Gentiles,

and the glory of Your people Israel."

33 And Joseph*Instead of ‘Joseph’, about 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, have ‘his father’ (to be followed by NIV, NASB, TEV, etc.). and His mother were marveling at the things*Simeon may have actually said more than is here recorded; in fact, I rather imagine that he did. being spoken concerning Him.

34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother: "Listen, this One is appointed to bring about the fall and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that is spoken against, 35 so that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed (furthermore, a sword will pass through your own soul also)."*Watching her Son suffer, Mary would also suffer. Jesus obliged the people, especially the leaders, to take sides, and so the reasonings of their hearts were exposed.

Anna

36 Also there was a prophetess Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher—she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity 37 and having been a widow for about eighty-four years*If she married at 15 she would have been about 105 at the time. Instead of "for about eighty-four", perhaps 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, read ‘until eighty-four’ (to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, etc.).—who did not depart from the temple, serving God with fastings and petitions night and day. 38 Well she, having come up at that very moment, started praising the Lord,*Instead of ‘the Lord’, less than 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, have ‘God’ (to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). and kept on speaking of Him to all those in Jerusalem who were looking for redemption.*She must have known who they were.