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4 So Yosef, because he was a descendant of David, went up from the town of Natzeret in the Galil to the town of David, called Beit-Lechem, in Y'hudah,

5 to be registered, with Miryam, to whom he was engaged, and who was pregnant.

6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth;

7 and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in cloth and laid him down in a feeding trough, because there was no space for them in the living-quarters.

8 In the countryside nearby were some shepherds spending the night in the fields, guarding their flocks,

9 when an angel of ADONAI appeared to them, and the Sh'khinah of ADONAI shone around them. They were terrified;

10 but the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, because I am here announcing to you Good News that will bring great joy to all the people.

11 This very day, in the town of David, there was born for you a Deliverer who is the Messiah, the Lord.

12 Here is how you will know: you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a feeding trough."

13 Suddenly, along with the angel was a vast army from heaven praising God:

14 "In the highest heaven, glory to God! And on earth, peace among people of good will!"

15 No sooner had the angels left them and gone back into heaven than the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go over to Beit-Lechem and see this thing that has happened, that ADONAI has told us about."

16 Hurrying off, they came and found Miryam and Yosef, and the baby lying in the feeding trough.

17 Upon seeing this, they made known what they had been told about this child;

18 and al who heard were amazed by what the shepherds said to them.

19 Miryam treasured all these things and kept mulling them over in her heart.

20 Meanwhile, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen; it had been just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time for his b'rit-milah, he was given the name Yeshua, which is what the angel had called him before his conception.

22 When the time came for their purification according to the Torah of Moshe, they took him up to Yerushalayim to present him to ADONAI

23 (as it is written in the Torah of ADONAI, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to ADONAI")

24 and also to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons,h as required by the Torah of ADONAI.

25 There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim`on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra'el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him.

26 It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of ADONAI.

27 Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for him what the Torah required,

28 Shim`on took him in his arms, made a b'rakhah to God, and said,

29 "Now, ADONAI, according to your word, your servant is at peace as you let him go;

30 for I have seen with my own eyes your yeshu`ah,

31 which you prepared in the presence of all peoples --

32 a light that will bring revelation to the Goyim and glory to your people Isra'el."

33 Yeshua's father and mother were marvelling at the things Shim`on was saying about him.

34 Shim`on blessed them and said to the child's mother, Miryam, "This child will cause many in Isra'el to fall and to rise, he will become a sign whom people will speak against;

35 moreover, a sword will pierce your own heart too. All this will happen in order to reveal many people's inmost thoughts."

36 There was also a prophet named Hannah Bat-P'nu'el, of the tribe of Asher. She was a very old woman -- she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage

37 and had remained a widow ever since; now she was eighty-four. She never left the Temple grounds but worshipped there night and day, fasting and praying.

38 She came by at that moment and began thanking God and speaking about the child to everyone who was waiting for Yerushalayim to be liberated.

39 When Yosef and Miryam had finished doing everything required by the Torah of ADONAI, they returned to the Galil, to their town Natzeret.

40 The child grew and became strong and filled with wisdom -- God's favor was upon him.

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Permission has been granted to Jewish Heritage Revival for the use of Scripture quotations in its articles, taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, Maryland 21029. www.messianicjewish.net/jntp