1 Naqueles dias, o imperador Augusto decretou um recenseamento em todo o império romano. 2 (Esse foi o primeiro recenseamento realizado quando Quirino era governador da Síria.) 3 Todos voltaram à cidade de origem para se registrar. 4 Por ser descendente do rei Davi, José viajou da cidade de Nazaré da Galileia para Belém, na Judeia, terra natal de Davi, 5 levando consigo Maria, sua noiva, que estava grávida.
6 E, estando eles ali, chegou a hora de nascer o bebê. 7 Ela deu à luz seu primeiro filho, um menino. Envolveu-o em faixas de pano e deitou-o numa manjedoura, porque não havia lugar para eles na hospedaria.
8 Naquela noite, havia alguns pastores nos campos próximos, vigiando rebanhos de ovelhas. 9 De repente, um anjo do Senhor apareceu entre eles, e o brilho da glória do Senhor os cercou. Ficaram aterrorizados, 10 mas o anjo lhes disse: "Não tenham medo! Trago boas notícias, que darão grande alegria a todo o povo. 11 Hoje em Belém, a cidade de Davi, nasceu o Salvador, que é Cristo, o Senhor! 12 Vocês o reconhecerão por este sinal: encontrarão o bebê enrolado em faixas de pano, deitado numa manjedoura".
13 De repente, juntou-se ao anjo uma grande multidão do exército celestial, louvando a Deus e dizendo:
14 "Glória a Deus nos mais altos céus,
e paz na terra àqueles de que Deus se agrada!".
15 Quando os anjos voltaram para o céu, os pastores disseram uns aos outros: "Vamos a Belém para ver esse acontecimento que o Senhor nos anunciou".
16 Indo depressa ao povoado, encontraram Maria e José, e lá estava o bebê, deitado na manjedoura. 17 Depois de o verem, os pastores contaram a todos o que o anjo tinha dito a respeito da criança, 18 e todos que ouviam a história dos pastores ficavam admirados. 19 Maria, porém, guardava todas essas coisas no coração e refletia sobre elas. 20 Os pastores voltaram, glorificando e louvando a Deus por tudo que tinham visto e ouvido. Tudo aconteceu como o anjo lhes havia anunciado.
21 Oito dias depois, quando o bebê foi circuncidado, chamaram-no Jesus, o nome que o anjo lhe tinha dado antes mesmo de ele ser concebido.
22 Então chegou o tempo da oferta de purificação, como era a exigência da lei de Moisés. Seus pais o levaram a Jerusalém para apresentá-lo ao Senhor, 23 pois a lei do Senhor dizia: "Se o primeiro filho for menino, será consagrado ao Senhor". 24 Assim, ofereceram o sacrifício exigido pela lei do Senhor: "duas rolinhas ou dois pombinhos".
25 Naquela época, vivia em Jerusalém um homem chamado Simeão. Ele era justo e devoto, e esperava ansiosamente pela restauração de Israel. O Espírito Santo estava sobre ele 26 e lhe havia revelado que ele não morreria enquanto não visse o Cristo enviado pelo Senhor. 27 Nesse dia, o Espírito o conduziu ao templo. Assim, quando Maria e José chegaram para apresentar o menino Jesus ao Senhor, como a lei exigia, 28 Simeão tomou a criança nos braços e louvou a Deus, dizendo:
29 "Soberano Deus, agora podes levar em paz o teu servo,
como prometeste.
30 Vi a tua salvação,
31 que preparaste para todos os povos.
32 Ele é uma luz de revelação às nações
e é a glória do teu povo, Israel!".
33 Os pais de Jesus ficaram admirados com o que se dizia a respeito dele. 34 Então Simeão os abençoou e disse a Maria, a mãe do bebê: "Este menino está destinado a provocar a queda de muitos em Israel, mas também a ascensão de tantos outros. Foi enviado como sinal de Deus, mas muitos resistirão a ele. 35 Como resultado, serão revelados os pensamentos mais profundos de muitos corações, e você sentirá como se uma espada lhe atravessasse a alma".
36 A profetisa Ana, filha de Fanuel, da tribo de Aser, também estava no templo. Era muito idosa e havia perdido o marido depois de sete anos de casados 37 e vivido como viúva até os 84 anos. Nunca deixava o templo, adorando a Deus dia e noite, em jejum e oração. 38 Chegou ali naquele momento e começou a louvar a Deus. Falava a respeito da criança a todos que esperavam a redenção de Jerusalém.
39 Após cumprirem todas as exigências da lei do Senhor, os pais de Jesus voltaram para casa em Nazaré, na Galileia. 40 Ali o menino foi crescendo, saudável e forte. Era cheio de sabedoria, e o favor de Deus estava sobre ele.
41 Todos os anos, os pais de Jesus iam a Jerusalém para a festa da Páscoa. 42 Quando Jesus completou doze anos, foram à festa, como de costume. 43 Terminada a celebração, partiram de volta para Nazaré, mas Jesus ficou para trás, em Jerusalém, sem que seus pais notassem sua falta. 44 Pensaram que ele estivesse entre os demais viajantes, mas depois de caminharem um dia inteiro começaram a procurá-lo entre os parentes e amigos.
45 Como não o encontravam, voltaram a Jerusalém para procurá-lo. 46 Por fim, depois de três dias, acharam Jesus no templo, sentado entre os mestres da lei, ouvindo-os e fazendo perguntas. 47 Todos que o ouviam se admiravam de seu entendimento e de suas respostas.
48 Quando o viram, seus pais ficaram perplexos. Sua mãe lhe disse: "Filho, por que você fez isso conosco? Seu pai e eu estávamos aflitos, procurando você por toda parte".
49 "Mas por que me procuravam?", perguntou ele. "Não sabiam que eu devia estar na casa de meu Pai?" 50 Não entenderam, porém, o que ele quis dizer.
51 Então voltou com os pais para Nazaré, e lhes era obediente. Sua mãe guardava todas essas coisas no coração.
52 Jesus crescia em sabedoria, em estatura e no favor de Deus e das pessoas.
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
2 (This was the first census that took place while "Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" "),
24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." [^3]
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.
27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss "your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel."
33 The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. "She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
41 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.
43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. 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. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" [^6]
50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.