1 Factum est autem in diebus illis, exiit edictum a Cæsare Augusto ut describeretur universus orbis. 2 Hæc descriptio prima facta est a præside Syriæ Cyrino: 3 et ibant omnes ut profiterentur singuli in suam civitatem. 4 Ascendit autem et Joseph a Galilæa de civitate Nazareth in Judæam, in civitatem David, quæ vocatur Bethlehem: eo quod esset de domo et familia David, 5 ut profiteretur cum Maria desponsata sibi uxore prægnante. 6 Factum est autem, cum essent ibi, impleti sunt dies ut pareret. 7 Et peperit filium suum primogenitum, et pannis eum involvit, et reclinavit eum in præsepio: quia non erat eis locus in diversorio. 8 Et pastores erant in regione eadem vigilantes, et custodientes vigilias noctis super gregem suum. 9 Et ecce angelus Domini stetit juxta illos, et claritas Dei circumfulsit illos, et timuerunt timore magno. 10 Et dixit illis angelus: Nolite timere: ecce enim evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum, quod erit omni populo: 11 quia natus est vobis hodie Salvator, qui est Christus Dominus, in civitate David. 12 Et hoc vobis signum: invenietis infantem pannis involutum, et positum in præsepio. 13 Et subito facta est cum angelo multitudo militiæ cælestis laudantium Deum, et dicentium: 14◆ [Gloria in altissimis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis.] 15 Et factum est, ut discesserunt ab eis angeli in cælum: pastores loquebantur ad invicem: Transeamus usque Bethlehem, et videamus hoc verbum, quod factum est, quod Dominus ostendit nobis. 16 Et venerunt festinantes: et invenerunt Mariam, et Joseph, et infantem positum in præsepio. 17 Videntes autem cognoverunt de verbo, quod dictum erat illis de puero hoc. 18 Et omnes qui audierunt, mirati sunt: et de his quæ dicta erant a pastoribus ad ipsos. 19 Maria autem conservabat omnia verba hæc, conferens in corde suo. 20 Et reversi sunt pastores glorificantes et laudantes Deum in omnibus quæ audierant et viderant, sicut dictum est ad illos. 21 Et postquam consummati sunt dies octo, ut circumcideretur puer, vocatum est nomen ejus Jesus, quod vocatum est ab angelo priusquam in utero conciperetur. 22 Et postquam impleti sunt dies purgationis ejus secundum legem Moysi, tulerunt illum in Jerusalem, ut sisterent eum Domino, 23 sicut scriptum est in lege Domini: Quia omne masculinum adaperiens vulvam, sanctum Domino vocabitur: 24 et ut darent hostiam secundum quod dictum est in lege Domini, par turturum, aut duos pullos columbarum. 25 Et ecce homo erat in Jerusalem, cui nomen Simeon, et homo iste justus, et timoratus, exspectans consolationem Israël: et Spiritus Sanctus erat in eo. 26 Et responsum acceperat a Spiritu Sancto, non visurum se mortem, nisi prius videret Christum Domini. 27 Et venit in spiritu in templum. Et cum inducerent puerum Jesum parentes ejus, ut facerent secundum consuetudinem legis pro eo, 28 et ipse accepit eum in ulnas suas: et benedixit Deum, et dixit: 29 [Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace: 30 quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum, 31 quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum: 32 lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuæ Israël.] 33 Et erat pater ejus et mater mirantes super his quæ dicebantur de illo. 34 Et benedixit illis Simeon, et dixit ad Mariam matrem ejus: Ecce positus est hic in ruinam et in resurrectionem multorum in Israël, et in signum cui contradicetur: 35 et tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius ut revelentur ex multis cordibus cogitationes. 36 Et erat Anna prophetissa, filia Phanuel, de tribu Aser: hæc processerat in diebus multis, et vixerat cum viro suo annis septem a virginitate sua. 37 Et hæc vidua usque ad annos octoginta quatuor: quæ non discedebat de templo, jejuniis et obsecrationibus serviens nocte ac die. 38 Et hæc, ipsa hora superveniens, confitebatur Domino: et loquebatur de illo omnibus, qui exspectabant redemptionem Israël. 39 Et ut perfecerunt omnia secundum legem Domini, reversi sunt in Galilæam in civitatem suam Nazareth. 40 Puer autem crescebat, et confortabatur plenus sapientia: et gratia Dei erat in illo. 41 Et ibant parentes ejus per omnes annos in Jerusalem, in die solemni Paschæ. 42 Et cum factus esset annorum duodecim, ascendentibus illis Jerosolymam secundum consuetudinem diei festi, 43 consummatisque diebus, cum redirent, remansit puer Jesus in Jerusalem, et non cognoverunt parentes ejus. 44 Existimantes autem illum esse in comitatu, venerunt iter diei, et requirebant eum inter cognatos et notos. 45 Et non invenientes, regressi sunt in Jerusalem, requirentes eum. 46 Et factum est, post triduum invenerunt illum in templo sedentem in medio doctorum, audientem illos, et interrogantem eos. 47 Stupebant autem omnes qui eum audiebant, super prudentia et responsis ejus. 48 Et videntes admirati sunt. Et dixit mater ejus ad illum: Fili, quid fecisti nobis sic? ecce pater tuus et ego dolentes quærebamus te. 49 Et ait ad illos: Quid est quod me quærebatis? nesciebatis quia in his quæ Patris mei sunt, oportet me esse? 50 Et ipsi non intellexerunt verbum quod locutus est ad eos. 51 Et descendit cum eis, et venit Nazareth: et erat subditus illis. Et mater ejus conservabat omnia verba hæc in corde suo. 52 Et Jesus proficiebat sapientia, et ætate, et gratia apud Deum et homines.
Luke 2 Clementine Vulgate
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
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)