Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.^(A)

¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.^(A) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts^(B) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned^(C) in a dream^(D) not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The Escape to Egypt

¹³ When they had gone, an angel^(E) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.^(F) “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”^(G)

¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled^(H) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”^[a](I)

¹⁶ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. ¹⁷ Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:^(J)

The Return to Nazareth

¹⁹ After Herod died, an angel^(M) of the Lord appeared in a dream^(N) to Joseph in Egypt ²⁰ and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”^(O)

²¹ So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream,^(P) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,^{(Q) 23} and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.^(R) So was fulfilled^(S) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.^(T)

⁵⁵ “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?^(A) Isn’t his mother’s^(B) name Mary, and aren’t his brothers^(C) James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?

⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord^(A) should come to me?

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:^(A) “This child is destined to cause the falling^(B) 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,^(C) 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.^[a](D) She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.^{(E) 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.^(F)

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.^{(G) 40} And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.^(H)

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.^{(I) 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^(J) at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother^(K) said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father^(L) 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?”^{[b](M) 50} But they did not understand what he was saying to them.^(N)

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them^(O) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.^{(P) 52} And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.^(Q)

⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother^(A) said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father^(B) and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them^(A) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.^(B)

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine

2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.^(A) Jesus’ mother^(B) was there,

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”^(A)