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.
ميلاد يسوع
1 وفي تِلكَ الأيّامِ أمَرَ القيصَرُ أوغُسطُسُ بإحصاءِ سكّانِ الإمبراطورِيّةِ. 2 وجرى هذا الإحصاءُ الأوّلُ عِندَما كانَ كِيرينِيوسُ حاكِمًا في سوريّةَ. 3 فذهَبَ كُلّ واحدٍ إلى مَدينتِهِ ليكتَتِبَ فيها.
4 وصَعِدَ يوسُفُ مِنَ الجَليلِ مِنْ مدينةِ النّاصِرَةِ إلى اليهوديّةِ إلى بَيتَ لَحمَ مدينةِ داودَ، لأنّهُ كانَ مِنْ بَيتِ داودَ وعشيرتِهِ، 5 ليكتَتِبَ معَ مَريمَ خَطيبَتِهِ، وكانَت حُبلى. 6 وبَينَما هُما في بَيتَ لَحمَ، جاءَ وَقتُها لِتَلِدَ، 7 فولَدَتِ اَبنَها البِكرَ وقَمّطَتْهُ وأضجَعَتهُ في مِذْودٍ، لأنّهُ كانَ لا مَحَلّ لهُما في الفُندُقِ.
الرعاة والملائكة
8 وكانَ في تِلكَ النّاحيةِ رُعاةٌ يَبيتونَ في البرّيّةِ، يتناوَبونَ السّهَرَ في الليلِ على رعِيّتِهِم. 9 فظهَرَ مَلاكُ الرّبّ لهُم، وأضاءَ مجَدُ الرّبّ حَولَهُم فَخافوا خَوفًا شَديدًا. 10 فقالَ لهُمُ المَلاكُ: «لا تَخافوا! ها أنا أُبَشّرُكُم بِخَبرٍ عظيمٍ يَفرَحُ لَه جميعُ الشّعبِ: 11 وُلِدَ لكُمُ اليومَ في مدينةِ داودَ مُخلّصٌ هوَ المَسيحُ الرّبّ. 12 وإلَيكُم هذِهِ العلامَةَ: تَجِدونَ طِفلاً مُقَمّطًا مُضْجَعًا في مِذْودٍ».
13 وظهَرَ معَ المَلاكِ بَغتةً جُمهورٌ مِنْ جُندِ السّماءِ، يُسبّحونَ اللهَ ويقولونَ: 14 «المَجدُ للهِ في العُلى، وفي الأرضِ السّلامُ لِلحائزينَ رِضاهُ».
15 ولمّا اَنصَرَفَ المَلائِكةُ عَنهُم إلى السّماءِ، قالَ الرّعاةُ بَعضُهُم لِبَعضٍ: «تَعالَوا نَذهَبُ إلى بَيتَ لحمَ لِنرى هذا الحَدَثَ الذي أخبَرَنا بِه الرّبّ». 16 وجاؤُوا مُسرعينَ، فوَجَدوا مَريَمَ ويوسُفَ والطّفلَ مُضجَعًا في المِذودِ. 17 فلمّا رأوهُ أخبَروا بِما حَدّثهُمُ المَلاكُ عَنهُ، 18 فكانَ كُلّ مَنْ سَمِعَ يتَعَجّبُ مِنْ كلامِهِم. 19 وحَفِظَت مَريمُ هذا كُلّهُ وتأمّلتْهُ في قَلبِها.
20 ورَجَعَ الرّعاةُ وهُمْ يُمَجّدونَ اللهَ ويُسبّحونَهُ على كُلّ ما سَمِعوا ورَأوا كما أخبرهُمُ المَلاكُ.
ختان يسوع وتقديمه للرب
21 ولمّا بلَغَ الطّفلُ يومَهُ الثّامنَ، وهوَ يومُ خِتانِهِ، سُمّي يَسوعَ، كما سمّاهُ المَلاكُ قَبلَما حَبِلَت بِه مَريَمُ.
22 ولمّا حانَ يومُ طَهورِهِما بِحَسَبِ شَريعةِ موسى، صَعِدا بالطّفلِ يَسوعَ إلى أُورُشليمَ ليُقَدّماهُ لِلرّبّ، 23 كما هوَ مكتوبٌ في شريعةِ الرّبّ: «كُلّ بِكرٍ فاتحِ رَحِمٍ هوَ نَذْرٌ للرّبّ»، 24 وليُقدّما الذّبيحةَ التي تَفرِضُها شريعةُ الرّبّ: زَوْجَي يَمامٍ أو فَرخَي حَمامٍ.
25 وكانَ في أُورُشليمَ رَجُلٌ صالحٌ تَقيّ اَسمُهُ سِمعانُ، يَنتَظِرُ الخَلاصَ لإِسرائيلَ، والرّوحُ القُدُسُ كانَ علَيهِ. 26 وكانَ الرّوحُ القُدُسُ أوحَى إلَيهِ أنّهُ لا يَذوقُ الموتَ قَبلَ أنْ يرى مَسيحَ الرّبّ 27 فجاءَ إلى الهَيكَلِ بِوَحيٍ مِنَ الرّوحِ. ولمّا دخَلَ الوالدانِ ومعَهُما الطّفلُ يَسوعُ ليُؤدّيا عَنهُ ما تَفرِضُهُ الشّريعةُ، 28 حَمَلهُ سِمعانُ على ذِراعَيهِ وبارَكَ اللهَ وقالَ:
29 «يا ربّ، تَمّمْتَ الآنَ وَعدَكَ لي
فأطلِقْ عَبدَكَ بِسلامٍ.
30 عَينايَ رأتا الخَلاصَ
31 الذي هيّأْتَهُ لِلشُعوبِ كُلّها
32 نورًا لِهدايةِ الأُممِ
ومَجدًا لشَعبِكَ إِسرائيلَ».
33 فتعَجّبَ أبوهُ وأُمّهُ ممّا قالَهُ سِمعانُ فيهِ. 34 وباركَهُما سِمعانُ وقالَ لمَريَمَ أُمّهِ: «هذا الطّفلُ اَختارَهُ اللهُ لِسُقوطِ كثيرٍ مِنَ النّاسِ وقِيامِ كثيرٍ مِنهُم في إِسرائيلَ. وهوَ علامَةٌ مِنَ اللهِ يُقاوِمونَها، 35 لتَنكَشِفَ خفايا أفكارِهِم. وأمّا أنتِ، فسَيفُ الأحزانِ سَينفُذُ في قلبِكِ».
36 وكانَت هُناكَ نَبِيّةٌ كَبيرةٌ في السّنّ اَسمُها حَنّةُ اَبنَةُ فَنُوئيلَ، مِنْ عَشيرَةِ آشيرَ، تَزوّجت وهيَ بِكرٌ وعاشَت معَ زَوجِها سَبعَ سَنواتٍ، 37 ثُمّ بَقِيَت أرمَلةً فبَلغَتِ الرّابِعَةَ والثّمانينَ مِنْ عُمرِها، لا تُفارِقُ الهَيكَلَ مُتَعَبّدَةً بِالصّومِ والصّلاةِ ليلَ نَهارَ. 38 فحَضَرت في تِلكَ السّاعَةِ وحَمدَتِ اللهَ وتَحدّثت عَنِ الطّفلِ يَسوعَ معَ كُلّ مَنْ كانَ يَنتَظِرُ مِنَ اللهِ أنْ يَفديَ أورُشليمَ.
39 ولمّا تمّمَ يوسُفُ ومَريَمُ كُلّ ما تَفرِضُهُ شريعةُ الرّبّ، رَجَعوا إلى الجليلِ، إلى مَدينتِهمِ النّاصِرَةِ. 40 وكانَ الطّفلُ يَسوعُ يَنمو ويَتقوّى ويَمتَلئُ بالحِكمَةِ، وكانَت نِعمةُ اللهِ علَيهِ.
الصبي يسوع في الهيكل
41 وكانَ والدا يَسوعَ يَذهبانِ كُلّ سنَةٍ إلى أُورُشليمَ في عيدِ الفِصحِ. 42 فلمّا بلَغَ يَسوعُ الثّانيَةَ عَشْرَةَ مِنْ عُمرِهِ، صَعِدوا إلى أُورُشليمَ كَعادَتِهِم في العيدِ. 43 وبَعدَما اَنقَضَت أيّامُ العيدِ وأخذوا طريقَ العودَةِ، بَقِيَ الصّبيّ يَسوعُ في أُورُشليمَ، ووالِداهُ لا يَعلَمانِ، 44 بل كانا يَظُنّانِ أنّهُ معَ المُسافِرينَ. وبَعدَ مَسيرةِ يومٍ أخَذا يَبحثانِ عَنهُ عِندَ الأقاربِ والمعارِفِ، 45 فما وَجداهُ. فرَجَعا إلى أُورُشليمَ يَبحَثانِ عَنهُ، 46 فوَجَداهُ بَعدَ ثلاثةِ أيّامٍ في الهَيكَلِ، جالِسًا معَ مُعَلّمي الشّريعَةِ، يستَمِعُ إليهِم ويَسألُهُم. 47 وكانَ جميعُ سامِعيهِ في حَيرَةٍ مِنْ فَهمِهِ وأجوبَتِهِ.
48 ولمّا رآهُ والداهُ تَعَجّبا. وقالَت لَه أُمّهُ: «يا اَبني، لماذا فَعَلتَ بِنا هكذا؟ فأبوكَ وأنا تَعَذّبْنا كثيرًا ونَحْنُ نَبحَثُ عَنكَ».
49 فأجابَهُما: «ولماذا بَحَثتُما عنّي؟ أما تَعرفانِ أنّهُ يَجبُ أنْ أكونَ في بَيتِ أبي؟» 50 فما فَهِما معنى كلامِهِ.
51 ورجَعَ يَسوعُ معَهُما إلى النّاصِرَةِ، وكانَ مُطيعًا لهُما. وحَفِظَت أُمّهُ هذا كُلّهُ في قلبِها. 52 وكانَ يَسوعُ يَنمو في القامَةِ والحِكمَةِ والنّعمَةِ عِندَ اللهِ والنّاسِ.
