Luke · Catholic Public Domain Version
Luke 2 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 And it happened in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, so that the whole world would be enrolled.
1 Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
2 This was the first enrollment; it was made by the ruler of Syria, Quirinius.
2 This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 And all went to be declared, each one to his own city.
3 All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
4 Then Joseph also ascended from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
5 in order to be declared, with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.
5 to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
6 Then it happened that, while they were there, the days were completed, so that she would give birth.
6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son. And she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn.
7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds in the same region, being vigilant and keeping watch in the night over their flock.
8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9 And behold, an Angel of the Lord stood near them, and the brightness of God shone around them, and they were struck with a great fear.
9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 And the Angel said to them: “Do not be afraid. For, behold, I proclaim to you a great joy, which will be for all the people.
10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11 For today a Savior has been born for you in the city of David: he is Christ the Lord.
11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”
13 And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the celestial army, praising God and saying,
13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
15 And it happened that, when the Angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us cross over to Bethlehem and see this word, which has happened, which the Lord has revealed to us.”
15 When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 And they went quickly. And they found Mary and Joseph; and the infant was lying in a manger.
16 They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
17 Then, upon seeing this, they understood the word that had been spoken to them about this boy.
17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.
18 And all who heard it were amazed by this, and by those things which were told to them by the shepherds.
18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.
19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told to them.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
21 And after eight days were ended, so that the boy would be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, just as he was called by the Angel before he was conceived in the womb.
21 When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And after the days of her purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem, in order to present him to the Lord,
22 When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “For every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord,”
23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
24 and in order to offer a sacrifice, according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and God-fearing, awaiting the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was with him.
25 Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
26 And he had received an answer from the Holy Spirit: that he would not see his own death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
26 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 he went with the Spirit to the temple. And when the child Jesus was brought in by his parents, in order to act on his behalf according to the custom of the law,
27 He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law,
28 he also took him up, into his arms, and he blessed God and said:
28 then he received him into his arms and blessed God, and said,
29 “Now you may dismiss your servant in peace, O Lord, according to your word.
29 “Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared before the face of all peoples:
31 which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;
32 the light of revelation to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”
32 a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 And his father and mother were wondering over these things, which were spoken about him.
33 Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and he said to his mother Mary: “Behold, this one has been set for the ruin and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and as a sign which will be contradicted.
34 Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.
35 And a sword will pass through your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
35 Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher. She was very advanced in years, and she had lived with her husband for seven years from her virginity.
36 There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,
37 And then she was a widow, even to her eighty-fourth year. And without departing from the temple, she was a servant to fasting and prayer, night and day.
37 and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day.
38 And entering at the same hour, she confessed to the Lord. And she spoke about him to all who were awaiting the redemption of Israel.
38 Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city, Nazareth.
39 When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
40 Now the child grew, and he was strengthened with the fullness of wisdom. And the grace of God was in him.
40 The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
41 And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the time of the solemnity of Passover.
41 His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
42 And when he had become twelve years old, they ascended to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast day.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast;
43 And having completed the days, when they returned, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents did not realize this.
43 and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it,
44 But, supposing that he was in the company, they went a day’s journey, seeking him among their relatives and acquaintances.
44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey; and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.
45 And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.
45 When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.
46 And it happened that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and questioning them.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
47 But all who listened to him were astonished over his prudence and his responses.
47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 And upon seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: “Son, why have you acted this way toward us? Behold, your father and I were seeking you in sorrow.”
48 When they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.”
49 And he said to them: “How is it that you were seeking me? For did you not know that it is necessary for me to be in these things which are of my Father?”
49 He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
50 And they did not understand the word that he spoke to them.
50 They didn’t understand the saying which he spoke to them.
51 And he descended with them and went to Nazareth. And he was subordinate to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart.
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and in age, and in grace, with God and men.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Anna
A prophetess of the tribe of Asher, well along in years, who never left the temple and gave thanks to God and spoke of the child to all who awaited redemption.
Cited in the guide: Luke 2:36
Caesar Augustus
The emperor from whom a decree went out that the whole empire be registered, bringing Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem.
Cited in the guide: Luke 2:1
Joseph
The carpenter of Nazareth, a just man who became Jesus' legal father.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:16-25; 2:13-23; Luke 1:27; 2:1-7
Mary
The virgin mother of Jesus, a young woman of Nazareth who trusted God's word.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 1; Luke 1-2
Phanuel
Named in Luke 2:36 as the father of the prophetess Anna.
Cited in the guide: Luke 2:36
Quirinius
The governor of Syria at the time of the first census decreed by Caesar Augustus.
Cited in the guide: Luke 2:2
Simeon
A righteous and devout man of Jerusalem, told by the Holy Spirit he would not die before seeing the Lord's Christ, who took the child in his arms and blessed God.
Cited in the guide: Luke 2:25; Luke 2:34
Places
Bethlehem
Bethlehem was the home of Ruth and Boaz and the birthplace of David. Micah named it as the Messiah's birthplace — fulfilled in Jesus' nativity.
Cited in the guide: Micah 5:2; Ruth 1:19; Luke 2:4-7
Nazareth
A small agricultural village never named in the Old Testament. Jesus spent his childhood and early life here before beginning his public ministry.
Cited in the guide: Luke 2:39-40; Matthew 2:23; John 1:46
Cross references (49)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Luke 3:1; Matthew 24:14; Acts 25:21
- 2 Luke 3:1
- 4 Micah 5:2; John 7:42; 1 Samuel 16:1; Matthew 2:23; Luke 1:26–27
- 5 Matthew 1:18–19; Deuteronomy 22:22–27
- 6 Psalm 33:11; Revelation 12:1–5; Micah 5:2; Proverbs 19:21; Luke 1:57
- 7 Galatians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Isaiah 53:2–3; John 1:14; Luke 2:11–12
- 8 Psalm 78:70–71; Genesis 31:39–40; John 10:8–12; 1 Samuel 17:34–35; Ezekiel 34:8
- 9 Isaiah 60:1; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Acts 27:23; Revelation 18:1; 1 Kings 8:11
- 10 Isaiah 40:9; Isaiah 61:1; Isaiah 52:7; Genesis 12:3; Matthew 28:18
- 11 Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:21; Titus 3:4–7; Acts 2:36; Matthew 16:16
- 12 Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 53:1–2; Isaiah 7:11; Psalm 22:6; 2 Kings 19:29
- 13 Revelation 5:11; Psalm 148:2; Psalm 103:20–21; 1 Kings 22:19; Luke 15:10
- 14 Romans 5:1; Luke 19:38; Luke 1:79; Colossians 1:20; Isaiah 9:6–7
- 15 1 Peter 3:22; Matthew 2:1–2; Luke 24:51; Exodus 3:3; Matthew 2:9–11
- 16 Luke 19:32; Luke 2:12; Luke 2:7; Luke 22:13; Luke 1:39
- 17 Psalm 66:16; Luke 8:39; Psalm 71:17–18; Luke 2:38; Psalm 16:9–10
- 18 Luke 1:65–66; Luke 4:36; Luke 2:33; Isaiah 8:18; Luke 5:9–10
- 19 Luke 2:51; Luke 1:66; Proverbs 4:4; 1 Samuel 21:12; Genesis 37:11
- 20 Psalm 106:48; Acts 11:18; 1 Chronicles 29:10–12; Psalm 72:17–19; Matthew 9:8
- 21 Leviticus 12:3; Genesis 17:12; Luke 1:31; Luke 1:59; Matthew 1:21
- 22 Leviticus 12:1–8
- 23 Exodus 13:2; Numbers 3:13; Exodus 22:29; Numbers 18:15; Exodus 34:19
- 24 Leviticus 12:6–8; Leviticus 12:2; 2 Corinthians 8:9
- 25 Isaiah 25:9; Luke 2:38; Luke 1:6; Titus 2:11–14; Mark 15:43
- 26 John 8:51; Hebrews 11:5; Luke 9:27; Acts 10:38; John 20:31
- 27 Luke 2:22; Matthew 4:1; Luke 2:48; Luke 2:41; Acts 10:19
- 28 Luke 1:64; Luke 2:13–14; Mark 9:36; Luke 2:20; Mark 10:16
- 29 Revelation 14:13; Genesis 15:15; Philippians 1:23; Genesis 46:30; Isaiah 57:1–2
- 30 Isaiah 49:6; Luke 2:10–11; Genesis 49:18; Isaiah 52:10; Luke 3:6
- 31 Isaiah 42:1–4; Isaiah 62:1–2; Psalm 98:2–3; Isaiah 42:10–12; Isaiah 45:21–25
- 32 Isaiah 60:1–3; Isaiah 49:6; Acts 26:23; Acts 13:47–48; Isaiah 42:6–7
- 33 Isaiah 8:18; Luke 1:65–66; Luke 2:48
- 34 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Peter 2:7–8; Isaiah 8:14–15; Matthew 21:44; 2 Corinthians 2:15–16
- 35 Deuteronomy 8:2; 1 Corinthians 11:19; Matthew 12:24–35; Luke 16:14–15; Acts 8:21–23
- 36 Psalm 92:14; Exodus 15:20; Genesis 30:13; Judges 4:4; Acts 2:18
- 37 1 Timothy 5:5; Psalm 23:6; Acts 14:23; Psalm 27:4; Acts 13:3
- 38 Luke 2:25; 2 Corinthians 9:15; Luke 1:68; Mark 15:43; Luke 24:21
- 39 Luke 2:4; Galatians 4:4–5; Matthew 3:15; Deuteronomy 12:32; Luke 2:21–24
- 40 Luke 2:52; Luke 1:80; Isaiah 11:1–5; John 1:14; 1 Samuel 2:26
- 41 Numbers 28:16; Leviticus 23:5; Exodus 23:14–17; Deuteronomy 16:1–8; Exodus 12:14
- 43 2 Chronicles 30:21–23; Exodus 12:15; 2 Chronicles 25:17
- 44 Isaiah 2:3; Psalm 122:1–4; Psalm 42:4
- 46 Isaiah 49:1–2; Luke 5:17; Isaiah 50:4; Acts 5:34; Matthew 27:63–64
- 47 Matthew 7:28; Luke 4:32; Psalm 119:99; John 7:15; Luke 4:22
- 48 Luke 2:49; Matthew 12:46; Luke 3:23; Luke 4:22
- 49 John 6:38; John 8:29; Malachi 3:1; Psalm 40:8; John 4:34
- 50 Luke 18:34; Mark 9:32; Luke 9:45
- 51 Luke 2:19; Daniel 7:28; Genesis 37:11; Mark 6:3; Ephesians 5:21
- 52 Luke 2:40; Proverbs 3:3–4; 1 Samuel 2:26; Romans 14:18; Luke 1:80
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- Luke 2:14: “good will toward men” or “peace to men of good will”?
The angels’ song differs by a single Greek letter. Most manuscripts, the Patriarchal Text and the Orthodox Doxology read eudokia: “glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Several of the oldest manuscripts read eudokias: “peace among men of his good pleasure,” which the Latin rendered “men of good will.” Both readings place the source of peace in God’s favour.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The production, again, of the Duodecad of the Æons, is indicated by the fact that the Lord was twelve years of age when He disputed with the teachers of the law, and by the election of the apostles, for of these there were twelve.
In Thy good pleasure lies our peace. The body by its own weight gravitates towards its own place.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
See, for instance, what saith the Virgin even to Himself: "Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee." For if this suspicion had been entertained, neither would He any longer have been accounted to be a Son of David, and this opinion not being held, many other evils besides would have arisen.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For we shall not tolerate the heretics who sever the Old Testament from the New, but shall believe Christ, who says concerning the temple, Wist ye not that I must be in My Father's house?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
For how are angels to cry "Glory to God in the highest" without being empowered by the Spirit?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)