The Birth of Jesus
(Matthew 1.18-25)1 About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. 2 These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. 4 So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family.
5 Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, 6 and while they were there, 7 she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds
8 That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. 9 All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. 10 But the angel said, “Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. 11 This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. 12 You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”
13 Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:
14 “Praise God in heaven!
Peace on earth to everyone
who pleases God.”
15 After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.
17 When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. 18 Everyone listened and was surprised. 19 But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant.
20 As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.
21 Eight days later Jesus' parents did for him what the Law of Moses commands. And they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told Mary when he promised she would have a baby.
Simeon Praises the Lord
22 The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born.
They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, 23 just as the Law of the Lord says, “Each first-born baby boy belongs to the Lord.” 24 The Law of the Lord also says parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did.
25 At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for him to save the people of Israel. God's Spirit came to him 26 and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord.
27 When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. 28 Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God,
29 “Lord, I am your servant,
and now I can die in peace,
because you have kept
your promise to me.
30 With my own eyes I have seen
what you have done
to save your people,
31 and foreign nations
will also see this.
32 Your mighty power is a light
for all nations,
and it will bring honor
to your people Israel.”
33 Jesus' parents were surprised at what Simeon had said. 34 Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, 35 and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”
Anna Speaks about the Child Jesus
36 The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died. 37 And now she was 84 years old. Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating.
38 At this time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free.
The Return to Nazareth
39 After Joseph and Mary had done everything that the Law of the Lord commands, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 The child Jesus grew. He became strong and wise, and God blessed him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for Passover. 42 And when Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration. 43 After Passover his parents left, but they did not know that Jesus had stayed on in the city. 44 They thought he was traveling with some other people, and they went a whole day before they started looking for him. 45 When they could not find him with their relatives and friends, they went back to Jerusalem and started looking for him there.
46 Three days later they found Jesus sitting in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was surprised at how much he knew and at the answers he gave.
48 When his parents found him, they were amazed. His mother said, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried, and we have been searching for you!”
49 Jesus answered, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I would be in my Father's house?” 50 But they did not understand what he meant.
51 Jesus went back to Nazareth with his parents and obeyed them. His mother kept on thinking about all that had happened.
52 Jesus became wise, and he grew strong. God was pleased with him and so were the people.
Jēzus piedzimšana
(Mt 1:18–25)1 Tajās dienās nāca cēzara Augusta pavēle pierakstīt iedzīvotājus visā zemē. 2 Šī pirmā pierakstīšana notika laikā, kad Sīrijā valdīja Kirēnijs. 3 Un visi devās ceļā, lai tiktu pierakstīti, katrs uz savu pilsētu. 4 Arī Jāzeps no Galilejas, no Nācaretes pilsētas, gāja uz Jūdeju, uz Dāvida pilsētu, ko sauc Betlēme, tādēļ ka viņš bija no Dāvida nama un dzimtas, 5 lai tiktu pierakstīts kopā ar Mariju, savu saderināto, sievu, kas bija grūta. 6 Viņiem tur esot, tai pienāca laiks dzemdēt. 7 Un viņa dzemdēja Dēlu, savu pirmdzimto, ietina viņu autiņos un guldīja silē, jo tiem nebija vietas augšistabā.
Eņģeļu vēsts ganiem
8 Tajā pašā apvidū gani nomodā zem klajas debess sargāja savus ganāmpulkus. 9 Un Kunga eņģelis tiem piestājās, Kunga godība viņus apmirdzēja, un tie ļoti izbijās. 10 Eņģelis tiem sacīja: “Nebīstieties, redziet, es jums pasludinu lielu prieku, kas būs visiem ļaudīm, 11 jo jums šodien Dāvida pilsētā ir dzimis Pestītājs, kas ir Kristus, Kungs. 12 Redzi, jums šī zīme: jūs atradīsiet bērniņu, autos ietītu un silē gulošu.” 13 Piepeši tur pie eņģeļa bija redzama debespulku draudze, tie slavēja Dievu un sacīja: 14 “Gods Dievam augstībā, un miers virs zemes cilvēkiem, pie kā viņam labs prāts.” 15 Kad eņģeļi aizgāja no tiem debesīs, gani savā starpā runāja: “Iesim uz Betlēmi raudzīt, kas noticis, ko Kungs mums ir pavēstījis.” 16 Un tie steigšus nāca un atrada gan Mariju, gan Jāzepu un bērniņu, silē gulošu. 17 Kad viņi to redzēja, tie pavēstīja, kas viņiem par šo bērniņu bija sacīts. 18 Un visi, kas to dzirdēja, izbrīnījās par to, ko gani viņiem bija sacījuši. 19 Un Marija visus šos vārdus paglabāja sevī, sirdī tos pārdomādama. 20 Un gani griezās atpakaļ, teikdami un slavēdami Dievu par visu, ko bija dzirdējuši un redzējuši, kā viņiem tas bija sacīts. 21 Un, kad pienāca astotā diena, kurā bērniņu vajadzēja apgraizīt, viņam deva vārdu Jēzus, kā viņu eņģelis bija nosaucis, pirms viņš vēl bija ieņemts mātes miesās.
Jēzus tiek nests Kunga priekšā
22 Kad viņu šķīstīšanās dienas pēc Mozus bauslības bija pagājušas, tie viņu aizveda uz Jeruzālemi, lai nestu Kunga priekšā, 23 kā Kunga bauslībā ir rakstīts: katrs puisēns, kas pirmais paver mātes klēpi, lai tiek svētīts Kungam , – 24 un lai pienestu upuri, kā ir noteikts Kunga bauslībā: vienu pāri dūju vai divus jaunus baložus. 25 Un, redzi, Jeruzālemē bija kāds vīrs, vārdā Simeons, un šis vīrs bija krietns un dievbijīgs, viņš ilgojās pēc iepriecinājuma Israēlam, un Svētais Gars bija pār viņu. 26 Viņam Svētais Gars bija atklājis, ka viņš nāvi neredzēs, pirms nebūs redzējis Kunga Svaidīto. 27 Gara vadīts, viņš nāca templī, un, kad vecāki ienesa bērniņu Jēzu, lai izpildītu pie viņa bauslības paražu, 28 tad viņš ņēma to savās rokās un, slavēdams Dievu, sacīja: 29 “Tagad atlaid, Kungs, savu kalpu mierā, kā tu esi sacījis, 30 jo manas acis ir redzējušas tavu pestīšanu, 31 ko tu esi sataisījis visu tautu priekšā, 32 gaismu, kas atklāsies pagāniem, un godību Israēlam, tavai tautai.” 33 Bērna tēvs un māte brīnījās par to, kas tika sacīts par viņu. 34 Un Simeons viņus svētīja un sacīja Marijai, viņa mātei: “Redzi, viņš ir likts, lai daudzi Israēlā kristu un daudzi celtos, un par zīmi, kam runās pretī, – 35 un tev pašai cauri dvēselei zobens dursies, – tā ka atklāsies daudzu siržu domas.” 36 Tur bija praviete Anna, Penuēla meita no Ašēra cilts. Tā bija jau krietni gados, un pēc savām meitas dienām viņa bija dzīvojusi ar vīru septiņus gadus, 37 nu viņa bija atraitne, kādus astoņdesmit četrus gadus veca, un nešķīrās no tempļa, ar gavēšanu un lūgšanām kalpodama dienu un nakti. 38 Arī viņa tajā pašā stundā pienāca klāt un pateicībā slavēja Dievu, un stāstīja par bērniņu visiem, kas gaidīja Jeruzālemes atbrīvošanu.
Atgriešanās Nācaretē
39 Izpildījuši visu pēc Kunga bauslības, tie griezās atpakaļ uz Galileju, uz savu pilsētu Nācareti. 40 Bērniņš auga un pieņēmās spēkā, tapa pilns gudrības, un Dieva žēlastība bija ar viņu.
Jēzus bērnība
41 Viņa vecāki ik gadu Pashas svētkos gāja uz Jeruzālemi. 42 Kad viņš bija divpadsmit gadu vecs, viņi pēc svētku paražas devās uz Jeruzālemi. 43 Kad svētku dienas bija beigušās un viņa vecāki jau devās mājup, bērns Jēzus palika Jeruzālemē, bet viņi to nezināja. 44 Domādami, ka viņš ir atceļā kopā ar citiem, tie, vienas dienas gājumu nostaigājuši, meklēja viņu pie radiem un paziņām. 45 Neatraduši tie atgriezās Jeruzālemē, lai viņu uzmeklētu. 46 Pēc trim dienām tie atrada viņu sēžam templī mācītāju vidū, tos klausoties un izjautājot. 47 Un visi, kas viņu dzirdēja, bija ļoti pārsteigti par viņa saprašanu un atbildēm. 48 Un, viņu ieraudzījuši, vecāki pārbijās, un māte viņam sacīja: “Bērns, kādēļ tu mums tā darīji? Redzi, tavs tēvs un es ar sirdssāpēm tevi meklējām.” 49 Un viņš tiem sacīja: “Kādēļ jūs mani meklējāt? Vai jūs nezināt, ka man jādarbojas sava Tēva lietās?” 50 Bet tie nesaprata viņa teiktos vārdus. 51 Tad viņš gāja tiem līdzi un nonāca Nācaretē, un bija tiem paklausīgs. Un viņa māte visus šos vārdus glabāja savā sirdī. 52 Un Jēzus pieauga gudrībā, augumā un piemīlībā pie Dieva un cilvēkiem.
