Luke 2 (RSV)
- 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
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- (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord")
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- 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 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;
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- for mine eyes have seen thy salvation
- 31
- which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,
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- 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.
This text coutesy of the Bible Gateway at Calvin College (www.calvin.edu)