1 Naqueles tempos apareceu um decreto de César Augusto, ordenando o recenseamento de toda a terra.
2 Este recenseamento foi feito antes do governo de Quirino, na Síria.
3 Todos iam alistar-se, cada um na sua cidade.
4 Também José subiu da Galiléia, da cidade de Nazaré, à Judéia, à Cidade de Davi, chamada Belém, porque era da casa e família de Davi,
5 para se alistar com a sua esposa Maria, que estava grávida.
6 Estando eles ali, completaram-se os dias dela.
7 E deu à luz seu filho primogênito, e, envolvendo-o em faixas, reclinou-o num presépio; porque não havia lugar para eles na hospedaria.
8 Havia nos arredores uns pastores, que vigiavam e guardavam seu rebanho nos campos durante as vigílias da noite.
9 Um anjo do Senhor apareceu-lhes e a glória do Senhor refulgiu ao redor deles, e tiveram grande temor.
10 O anjo disse-lhes: Não temais, eis que vos anuncio uma boa nova que será alegria para todo o povo:
11 hoje vos nasceu na Cidade de Davi um Salvador, que é o Cristo Senhor.
12 Isto vos servirá de sinal: achareis um recém-nascido envolto em faixas e posto numa manjedoura.
13 E subitamente ao anjo se juntou uma multidão do exército celeste, que louvava a Deus e dizia:
14 Glória a Deus no mais alto dos céus e na terra paz aos homens, objetos da benevolência {divina}.
15 Depois que os anjos os deixaram e voltaram para o céu, falaram os pastores uns com os outros: Vamos até Belém e vejamos o que se realizou e o que o Senhor nos manifestou.
16 Foram com grande pressa e acharam Maria e José, e o menino deitado na manjedoura.
17 Vendo-o, contaram o que se lhes havia dito a respeito deste menino.
18 Todos os que os ouviam admiravam-se das coisas que lhes contavam os pastores.
19 Maria conservava todas estas palavras, meditando-as no seu coração.
20 Voltaram os pastores, glorificando e louvando a Deus por tudo o que tinham ouvido e visto, e que estava de acordo com o que lhes fora dito.
21 Completados que foram os oito dias para ser circuncidado o menino, foi-lhe posto o nome de Jesus, como lhe tinha chamado o anjo, antes de ser concebido no seio materno.
22 Concluídos os dias da sua purificação segundo a Lei de Moisés, levaram-no a Jerusalém para o apresentar ao Senhor,
23 conforme o que está escrito na lei do Senhor: Todo primogênito do sexo masculino será consagrado ao Senhor {Ex 13,2};
24 e para oferecerem o sacrifício prescrito pela lei do Senhor, um par de rolas ou dois pombinhos.
25 Ora, havia em Jerusalém um homem chamado Simeão. Este homem, justo e piedoso, esperava a consolação de Israel, e o Espírito Santo estava nele.
26 Fora-lhe revelado pelo Espírito Santo que não morreria sem primeiro ver o Cristo do Senhor.
27 Impelido pelo Espírito Santo, foi ao templo. E tendo os pais apresentado o menino Jesus, para cumprirem a respeito dele os preceitos da lei,
28 tomou-o em seus braços e louvou a Deus nestes termos:
29 Agora, Senhor, deixai o vosso servo ir em paz, segundo a vossa palavra.
30 Porque os meus olhos viram a vossa salvação
31 que preparastes diante de todos os povos,
32 como luz para iluminar as nações, e para a glória de vosso povo de Israel.
33 Seu pai e sua mãe estavam admirados das coisas que dele se diziam.
34 Simeão abençoou-os e disse a Maria, sua mãe: Eis que este menino está destinado a ser uma causa de queda e de soerguimento para muitos homens em Israel, e a ser um sinal que provocará contradições,
35 a fim de serem revelados os pensamentos de muitos corações. E uma espada transpassará a tua alma.
36 Havia também uma profetisa chamada Ana, filha de Fanuel, da tribo de Aser; era de idade avançada.
37 Depois de ter vivido sete anos com seu marido desde a sua virgindade, ficara viúva, e agora com oitenta e quatro anos não se apartava do templo, servindo a Deus noite e dia em jejuns e orações.
38 Chegando ela à mesma hora, louvava a Deus e falava de Jesus a todos aqueles que em Jerusalém esperavam a libertação.
39 Após terem observado tudo segundo a lei do Senhor, voltaram para a Galiléia, à sua cidade de Nazaré.
40 O menino ia crescendo e se fortificava: estava cheio de sabedoria, e a graça de Deus repousava nele.
41 Seus pais iam todos os anos a Jerusalém para a festa da Páscoa.
42 Tendo ele atingido doze anos, subiram a Jerusalém, segundo o costume da festa.
43 Acabados os dias da festa, quando voltavam, ficou o menino Jesus em Jerusalém, sem que os seus pais o percebessem.
44 Pensando que ele estivesse com os seus companheiros de comitiva, andaram caminho de um dia e o buscaram entre os parentes e conhecidos.
45 Mas não o encontrando, voltaram a Jerusalém, à procura dele.
46 Três dias depois o acharam no templo, sentado no meio dos doutores, ouvindo-os e interrogando-os.
47 Todos os que o ouviam estavam maravilhados da sabedoria de suas respostas.
48 Quando eles o viram, ficaram admirados. E sua mãe disse-lhe: Meu filho, que nos fizeste?! Eis que teu pai e eu andávamos à tua procura, cheios de aflição.
49 Respondeu-lhes ele: Por que me procuráveis? Não sabíeis que devo ocupar-me das coisas de meu Pai?
50 Eles, porém, não compreenderam o que ele lhes dissera.
51 Em seguida, desceu com eles a Nazaré e lhes era submisso. Sua mãe guardava todas estas coisas no seu coração.
52 E Jesus crescia em estatura, em sabedoria e graça, diante de Deus e dos homens.
1 Now it came about in those days that an order went out from Caesar Augustus that there was to be a numbering of all the world.
2 This was the first numbering, which was made when Quirinius was ruler of Syria.
3 And all men went to be numbered, everyone to his town.
4 And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judaea, to Beth-lehem, the town of David, because he was of the house and family of David,
5 To be put on the list with Mary, his future wife, who was about to become a mother.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7 And she had her first son; and folding him in linen, she put him to rest in the place where the cattle had their food, because there was no room for them in the house.
8 And in the same country there were keepers of sheep in the fields, watching over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord came to them, and the glory of the Lord was shining round about them: and fear came on them.
10 And the angel said, Have no fear; for truly, I give you good news of great joy which will be for all the people:
11 For on this day, in the town of David, a Saviour has come to birth, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this is the sign to you: you will see a young child folded in linen, in the place where the cattle have their food.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a great band of spirits from heaven, giving praise to God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace among men with whom he is well pleased.
15 And when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the keepers of the sheep said to one another, Let us go now to Beth-lehem, and see this thing which has come about, which the Lord has made clear to us.
16 And they came quickly, and saw Mary and Joseph, and the child in the place where the cattle had their food.
17 And when they saw it, they gave them an account of the things which had been said to them about the child.
18 And all those to whose ears it came were full of wonder at the things said by the keepers of the sheep.
19 But Mary kept all these words in her heart, and gave much thought to them.
20 Then the keepers of the sheep went back, giving glory and praise to God for all the things which had come to their ears and which they had seen, as it had been said to them.
21 And when, after eight days, the time came for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given to him before his birth.
22 And when the necessary days for making them clean by the law of Moses had come to an end, they took him to Jerusalem to give him to the Lord
23 (As it says in the law of the Lord, Every mother's first male child is to be holy to the Lord),
24 And to make an offering, as it is ordered in the law of the Lord, of two doves or other young birds.
25 And there was then in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon; and he was an upright man, fearing God and waiting for the comfort of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was on him.
26 And he had knowledge, through the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death till he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And full of the Spirit he came into the Temple; and when the father and mother came in with the child Jesus, to do with him what was ordered by the law,
28 Then he took him in his arms and gave praise to God and said,
29 Now you are letting your servant go in peace, O Lord, as you have said;
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 Which you have made ready before the face of all nations;
32 A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
33 And his father and mother were full of wonder at the things which were said about him.
34 And Simeon gave them his blessing and said to Mary, his mother, See, this child will be the cause of the downfall and the lifting up of great numbers of people in Israel, and he will be a sign against which hard words will be said;
35 (And a sword will go through your heart;) so that the secret thoughts of men may come to light.
36 And there was one, Anna, a woman prophet, the daughter of Phanuel, of the family of Asher (she was very old, and after seven years of married life
37 She had been a widow for eighty-four years); she was in the Temple at all times, worshipping with prayers and going without food, night and day.
38 And coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, talking of him to all those who were waiting for the freeing of Jerusalem.
39 And when they had done all the things which were ordered by the law of the Lord, they went back to Galilee, to Nazareth, the town where they were living.
40 And the child became tall and strong and full of wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
41 And every year his father and mother went to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up, as their way was, to the feast;
43 And when the days of the feast came to an end and they were going back, the boy Jesus was still in Jerusalem, but they had no knowledge of it:
44 And in the belief that he was with some of their number, they went a day's journey; and after looking for him among their relations and friends,
45 And seeing that he was not there, they went back to Jerusalem, to make search for him.
46 And after three days they came across him in the Temple, seated among the wise men, giving ear to their words and putting questions to them.
47 And all to whose ears it came were full of wonder at his knowledge and the answers which he gave.
48 And when they saw him they were surprised, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you done this to us? see, your father and I have been looking for you with sorrow.
49 And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? was it not clear to you that my right place was in my Father's house?
50 And his words seemed strange to them.
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth; and did as he was ordered: and his mother kept all these words in her heart.
52 And Jesus was increasing in wisdom and in years, and in grace before God and men.