Category: Luke

[2:22] The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,

[2:23] as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every first-born male is to be dedicated to the Lord.”

[2:24] They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.

[2:25] At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him

[2:26] and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's promised Messiah.

[2:27] Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required,

[2:28] Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:

[2:29] “Now, Lord, you have kept your promise, and you may let your servant go in peace.

[2:30] With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,

[2:31] which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:

[2:32] A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles and bring glory to your people Israel.”

[2:33] The child's father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him.

[2:34] Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against

[2:35] and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.”

[2:38] That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.

[2:39] When Joseph and Mary had finished doing all that was required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee.

[2:40] The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God's blessings were upon him.

[2:41] Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.

[2:42] When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual.

[2:43] When the festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know this;

[2:44] they thought that he was with the group, so they traveled a whole day and then started looking for him among their relatives and friends.

[2:45] They did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him.

[2:46] On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

[2:47] All who heard him were amazed at his intelligent answers.

[2:48] His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you.”

[2:49] He answered them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?”

[2:50] But they did not understand his answer.

[2:51] So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

[2:52] Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favor with God and people.

[3:1] It was the fifteenth year of the rule of Emperor Tiberius; Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip was ruler of the territory of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias was ruler of Abilene,

[3:2] and Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests. At that time the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.

[3:3] So John went throughout the whole territory of the Jordan River, preaching, “Turn away from your sins and be baptized, and God will forgive your sins.”

[3:4] As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah: “Someone is shouting in the desert: ‘Get the road ready for the Lord; make a straight path for him to travel!

[3:5] Every valley must be filled up, every hill and mountain leveled off. The winding roads must be made straight, and the rough paths made smooth.

[3:6] The whole human race will see God's salvation!’”

[3:7] Crowds of people came out to John to be baptized by him. “You snakes!” he said to them. “Who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send?

[3:8] Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. And don't start saying among yourselves that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these rocks and make descendants for Abraham!

[3:9] The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.”

[3:10] The people asked him, “What are we to do, then?”

[3:11] He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none, and whoever has food must share it.”

[3:12] Some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what are we to do?”

[3:13] “Don't collect more than is legal,” he told them.

[3:14] Some soldiers also asked him, “What about us? What are we to do?” He said to them, “Don't take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your pay.”

[3:15] People's hopes began to rise, and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah.

[3:16] So John said to all of them, “I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

[3:17] He has his winnowing shovel with him, to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out.”

[3:18] In many different ways John preached the Good News to the people and urged them to change their ways.

[3:19] But John reprimanded Governor Herod, because he had married Herodias, his brother's wife, and had done many other evil things.

[3:20] Then Herod did an even worse thing by putting John in prison.

[3:21] After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened,

[3:22] and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.”

[3:23] When Jesus began his work, he was about thirty years old. He was the son, so people thought, of Joseph, who was the son of Heli,

[3:24] the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

[3:25] the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

[3:26] the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,

[3:27] the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

[3:28] the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

[3:29] the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

[3:30] the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

[3:31] the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

[3:32] the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

[3:33] the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

[3:34] the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

[3:35] the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

[3:36] the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

[3:37] the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Kenan,

[3:38] the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

[4:1] Jesus returned from the Jordan full of the Holy Spirit and was led by the Spirit into the desert,

[4:2] where he was tempted by the Devil for forty days. In all that time he ate nothing, so that he was hungry when it was over.

[4:3] The Devil said to him, “If you are God's Son, order this stone to turn into bread.”

[4:4] But Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Human beings cannot live on bread alone.’”

[4:5] Then the Devil took him up and showed him in a second all the kingdoms of the world.

[4:6] “I will give you all this power and all this wealth,” the Devil told him. “It has all been handed over to me, and I can give it to anyone I choose.

[4:7] All this will be yours, then, if you worship me.”

[4:8] Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him!’”

[4:9] Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem and set him on the highest point of the Temple, and said to him, “If you are God's Son, throw yourself down from here.

[4:10] For the scripture says, ‘God will order his angels to take good care of you.’

[4:11] It also says, ‘They will hold you up with their hands so that not even your feet will be hurt on the stones.’”

[4:12] But Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

[4:13] When the Devil finished tempting Jesus in every way, he left him for a while.

[4:14] Then Jesus returned to Galilee, and the power of the Holy Spirit was with him. The news about him spread throughout all that territory.

[4:15] He taught in the synagogues and was praised by everyone.

[4:16] Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures

[4:17] and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written,

[4:18] “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed

[4:19] and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people.”

[4:20] Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All the people in the synagogue had their eyes fixed on him,

[4:21] as he said to them, “This passage of scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read.”

[4:22] They were all well impressed with him and marveled at the eloquent words that he spoke. They said, “Isn't he the son of Joseph?”

[4:23] He said to them, “I am sure that you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ You will also tell me to do here in my hometown the same things you heard were done in Capernaum.

[4:24] I tell you this,” Jesus added, “prophets are never welcomed in their hometown.

[4:25] Listen to me: it is true that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah, when there was no rain for three and a half years and a severe famine spread throughout the whole land.

[4:26] Yet Elijah was not sent to anyone in Israel, but only to a widow living in Zarephath in the territory of Sidon.

[4:27] And there were many people suffering from a dreaded skin disease who lived in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha; yet not one of them was healed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

[4:28] When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were filled with anger.

[4:29] They rose up, dragged Jesus out of town, and took him to the top of the hill on which their town was built. They meant to throw him over the cliff,

[4:30] but he walked through the middle of the crowd and went his way.

[4:31] Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, where he taught the people on the Sabbath.

[4:32] They were all amazed at the way he taught, because he spoke with authority.

[4:33] In the synagogue was a man who had the spirit of an evil demon in him; he screamed out in a loud voice,

[4:34] “Ah! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are: you are God's holy messenger!”

[4:35] Jesus ordered the spirit, “Be quiet and come out of the man!” The demon threw the man down in front of them and went out of him without doing him any harm.

[4:36] The people were all amazed and said to one another, “What kind of words are these? With authority and power this man gives orders to the evil spirits, and they come out!”

[4:37] And the report about Jesus spread everywhere in that region.