Online Bible

Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2

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Luke 2 RSV - Revised Standard VersionLuke 2 RSV - Revised Standard Version

Chapter 2 of LukeRevised Standard Version (RSV)



  1. ¶ In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
  2. This was the first enrollment, when Quirin′i-us was governor of Syria.
  3. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.
  4. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
  5. to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
  6. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.
  7. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
  8. ¶ And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
  9. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.
  10. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;
  11. for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
  12. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
  13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
  14. ¶ “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”[a]
  15. ¶ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
  16. And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
  17. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child;
  18. and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
  19. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.
  20. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
  21. ¶ And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
  22. ¶ And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
  23. (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)
  24. and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
  25. Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
  26. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
  27. And inspired by the Spirit[b] he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,
  28. he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
  29. ¶ “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
    according to thy word;
  30. for mine eyes have seen thy salvation
  31. which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,
  32. a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to thy people Israel.”
  33. ¶ And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him;
  34. and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
    ¶ “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel,
    and for a sign that is spoken against
  35. (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also),
    that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”
  36. ¶ And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan′u-el, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity,
  37. and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
  38. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
  39. ¶ And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
  40. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
  41. ¶ Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.
  42. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom;
  43. and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,
  44. but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances;
  45. and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.
  46. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions;
  47. and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
  48. And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.”
  49. And he said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
  50. And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.
  51. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
  52. ¶ And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature,[c] and in favor with God and man.


FOOTNOTES

  1. ^ Other ancient authorities read peace, good will among men
  2. ^ Or in the Spirit
  3. ^ Or years

Read Luke Chapter 2 in other Bible versions:

Comments

  1. David yakubuDavid yakubu
    Oct 29, 2022 08:05 GMT

    When i do read some comments and seeing that its the same people that are supposed to be called believers but are talking ill of other denominations, it hurts. Let us all remember that We should judge not

    1. jonas smithjonas smith
      Apr 23, 2023 02:57 GMT

      The bible tells us to test the spirits. Satan disguises himself as angel of light. So yes some denomination are not teaching the truth. You are responsible for judging which ones are not. You have to judge the truth at all times. this is what the bible teaches

  2. THTH
    Apr 7, 2021 00:20 GMT

    The NWT is a very good translation. Dr. Jason David BeDuhn PhD attests to that in his book Truth in Translation. drive.google.com/...5p16melHzg8/view

    1. James LernerJames Lerner
      Jul 20, 2024 09:48 GMT

      The NWT is Satanic filth to its very core.

      The JW Cult is Satanic to its very core.

      Praise Yahweh I will never be a victim of JW brainwashing. If I burn in Hell for eternity or I am ultimately annihilated so be it

      May Yahweh's curse rest on the Watchtower Society and its Satanic leadership

    2. jim mcleodjim mcleod
      Aug 22, 2021 06:16 GMT

      NWT is a false translation that takes away from the deity of Jesus !

  3. SlightlyChaoticSlightlyChaotic
    Jan 30, 2021 16:33 GMT

    Thank you for taking the time to provide this service. I like seeing the NASB on your web page in the same format as I read on paper. On other sites, the text area is smaller, and so I have to keep scrolling down to read and sometimes I lose the context. So I really appreciate the format.

    As far as the NWT, you are certainly free to do whatever you think best with your own web pages. I'd suggest that you make a note anytime you have a translation that is associated with only one denomination or church, for example:
    New World Translation (Jehovah's Witness version).

    In Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. the main idea seems to be that you can't easily distinguish between God's people and not-God's people on this earth, so our Lord's response is to wait until they are shown to be the kind of people they are inside. But the NWT seems like false teaching to me. So I think the warning passages from Jesus' apostles are more applicable, as in 2 Peter 3:15-16, when he talks about Paul's writings:
    "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."
    And we also have the positive exhortations, as in 2 Timothy 2:15:
    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

    1. BroderickBroderick
      Jan 31, 2021 00:57 GMT

      Your suggestion regarding the denominational flagging is duly noted. But I can’t help but wonder, wouldn’t a Catholic also want “Protestant versions” marked as well?

      As for the parable, I’m pretty sure the slaves were convinced in their own minds that they could tell the tares from the wheat. After all, aren’t they the ones who identified the problem in the first place? But the master obviously thought otherwise.

      Furthermore, even at the time when Jesus himself was walking the earth, not everybody who claimed fellowship actually followed him causing John to inquire at Mark 9:39, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him . . . for he who is not against us is for us.”

  4. Joshua HarderJoshua Harder
    Dec 11, 2020 17:48 GMT

    Hello, question.. why have you included the NWT with other legitimate bible translations? Or why have you not atleast included a warning to readers? Don't you fear that someone could be influenced by the Watchtower's intentional heresies? Thank you.

    1. KevinKevin
      Jul 11, 2021 17:45 GMT

      en.m.wikipedia.org/..._Holy_Scriptures

      See the section critical review

    2. ChrisChris
      Jan 8, 2021 07:15 GMT

      Please site these intentional heresies. I am well versed in the watch tower outline and agree they are in many ways incorrect but i also bet i can point many out from EVERY established or main denomination. There is much to learn from them all as one who drinks milk?

      Judge not lest ye be judged, that is not to pass judgement on you either brother.

      I debate with scripture. I don't hold it to be true that Michael is Y'Shua HaMeshiach but I also firmly hold it to be true that our G-d and Heavenly Father are not the word encarnate and only begotten son.

      I love not seeing "lord" which i relate to baal. I feel the catholic church is a satanic establishment and I am aware a freemason started the hovies but there are evil in high places and our fight is also with principalities.

      What i'm saying is that in my darkest hours, those two were some of if not the only ones who would bring a Bible and eucharist and pray with me.

      We all fall short of the glory of G-d.

      Don't forget the NWT was recognized as the most accurate translation on Jeopardy.

      Lastly, this is different I noted than the NWT i have read and am very familiar with. Pull up the watchtower page and compare. I truly look forward to getting this one!

  5. julietjuliet
    Aug 17, 2022 09:36 GMT

    the sky is blue

  6. mercymercy
    Aug 12, 2022 21:23 GMT

    i am Mercy, the sky is blue what else do you need

    1. mercymercy
      Aug 12, 2022 21:25 GMT

      i am so sorry, it was a big mistake

  7. God is able to do all thingsGod is able to do all things
    May 17, 2021 17:59 GMT

    Jesus how much love calling yo name

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