- 1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
- 2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
- 3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
- 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
- 5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
- 6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
- 7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
- 8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
- 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
- 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
- 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
- 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
- 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
- 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
- 15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
- 16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
- 17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
- 18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
- 19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
- 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
- 21And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
- 22And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
- 23(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
- 24And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
- 25And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
- 26And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
- 27And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
- 28Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
- 29Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
- 30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
- 31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
- 32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
- 33And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
- 34And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
- 35(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
- 36And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
- 37And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
- 38And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
- 39And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
- 40And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
- 41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
- 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
- 43And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
- 44But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
- 45And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
- 46And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
- 47And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
- 48And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
- 49And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
- 50And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
- 51And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
- 52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
KING JAMES VERSION
LUKE 2
Read the chapter, follow a linked verse, and continue into related Watchman 33 teaching.
CHAPTER VISUAL
Luke 2 — Good Tidings of Great Joy gathers the chapter’s central movement as Jesus’s identity, authority, mercy, and saving mission are revealed.
About this illustration
The illustration centers mary and Joseph gather around the swaddled infant Jesus in a Bethlehem manger as shepherds arrive from the night fields. Other events and teachings remain in the chapter text rather than being crowded into one scene.
Scripture basis: Luke 2:1–52King James Version · Standardized 1769 text with Strong’s numbering · Public domain outside the United Kingdom
EXPLORE THE MESSAGE
Related Watchman 33 Resources
Archaeological Evidence
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArchaeological site
Hellenistic through Early Roman periods, including first century AD
Nazareth First-Century Settlement Evidence
Domestic structures, rock-cut storage, pottery, tombs, quarries, and agricultural installations demonstrate that Nazareth was a small Jewish settlement in the late Hellenistic and early Roman periods.
Matthew 2:23 · Luke 1:26–27 · Luke 2:39–51
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEInscription
Early first century AD
The Aemilius Secundus Census Inscription
The Latin career inscription of Quintus Aemilius Secundus records that he counted Apamea's citizens by Quirinius's order, documenting Roman census administration in Syria while leaving Luke's nativity chronology unresolved.
Luke 2:1–5 · Acts 5:37
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArchitecture
AD 339 and mid-sixth century
The Constantinian and Justinianic Church of the Nativity
Fourth-century floors, foundations, and a sixth-century rebuilding over Bethlehem's venerated grotto document a continuous monumental Christian commemoration of Jesus' birth, while not establishing that the cave is the historical birthplace.
Matthew 2:1–6 · Luke 2:4–20
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArtifact
About AD 542–570
The Madaba Mosaic Map
The sixth-century church-floor mosaic at Madaba maps a Christian Holy Land in Greek labels and city vignettes, preserving an exceptionally detailed Byzantine Jerusalem while blending geographical knowledge, pilgrimage memory, and biblical theology.
Luke 2:1–7 · Acts 1:8–12
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
Late second or early third century AD
The P64, P67, and P4 Gospel Codex Fragments
Papyrus fragments now divided among Oxford, Montserrat, and Paris preserve Matthew and Luke in closely related hands, while their proposed origin in one multi-Gospel codex remains debated.
Matthew 3:9–15 · Matthew 5:20–28 · Matthew 26:7–33
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
7th–8th Century
Papyrus P42: Luke 1:46–51 in a Greek–Coptic Witness
Papyrus P42, Vienna Papyrus K 8706, is a late-antique Greek-Sahidic leaf from an Odes collection: its Coptic side preserves Luke 1:46–51, while its Greek New Testament text preserves Luke 1:54–55 and 2:29–32.
Luke 1:46–51 · Luke 1:54–55 · Luke 2:29–32
View all 13 archaeology resources
- Papyrus P141: Luke 2:32–34, 40–42; 24:22–28, 30–38
- Priene Calendar Inscription
- Res Gestae Divi Augusti at Ancyra
- Vibius Maximus Census Edict (P.Lond. III 904)
- Uncial 053: Luke 1–2 in a Three-Column Catena
- Codex Sangallensis 18 (GA 0130): Gospel Undertext beneath Latin
- Uncial 0177: A Greek–Coptic Leaf of Luke 1–2
Prophecy Events
PROPHECY EVENTUnfolding
Isaiah 42:6–7A Covenant and Light Who Opens Blind Eyes
Isaiah’s Servant is appointed as a covenant for the people and light to the nations, opening blind eyes and freeing prisoners.
RestorationServantcovenantlightnations
PROPHECY EVENTFulfilled
Isaiah 9:6–7The Child Who Bears Davidic Rule
Isaiah announces a child and son whose government and peace upon David’s throne will never end.
KingdomchildSonDavidpeace
PROPHECY EVENTFulfilled
Micah 5:2–5The Ruler Born in Bethlehem
Micah names little Bethlehem as the place from which Israel’s ruler would come. Watchman 33 connects the passage with Matthew and Luke’s accounts of Jesus’ birth; the pre-Christian 4Q81 manuscript preserves the Bethlehem text, but archaeology does not identify Jesus’ birthplace.
Prophetic signJesus ChristBethlehemMessianic prophecybirth
PROPHECY EVENTUnfolding
Isaiah 49:1–7The Servant, a Light to the Gentiles
Isaiah’s servant is commissioned as a light beyond Israel. Luke and Acts apply that mission to Jesus and the Gospel, while Tacitus and Pliny independently document the Christ movement’s spread from Judaea to Rome, Asia Minor, cities, villages, and countryside.
KingdomJesus ChristGentilesIsaiahGreat Commission
PROPHECY EVENTFulfilled
Isaiah 8:13–15The Stone of Stumbling
Isaiah says the Lord will be a sanctuary yet also a stone over which many in Israel stumble.
JudgmentstonestumblingIsraelMessiah
Sermons
Apologetics #5 - The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (Part 4)
In “Apologetics #5 - The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (Part 4),” Pastor Dean Odle presents a Scripture-centered message about the authority of Scripture, the condition of the church, faith. Drawing especially from John 5, Acts 11, Acts 16, John 1, the teaching emphasizes that Scripture is presented as the standard for doctrine, discernment, and daily obedience. Odle connects that foundation with the conviction that the church is called to recover biblical faithfulness instead of accommodating compromise.
Bible ProphecyScripture AloneSpiritual Warfare
View sermon Apologetics #3 - The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (Part 2)
In “Apologetics #3 - The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (Part 2),” Pastor Dean Odle presents a Scripture-centered message about Bible prophecy, the authority of Scripture, Israel in prophecy. Drawing especially from Luke 24:44, Genesis 3:15, Genesis 18:18, Matthew 1:1, the teaching emphasizes that prophecy should produce discernment, readiness, and faithfulness rather than speculation alone. Odle connects that foundation with the conviction that Scripture is presented as the standard for doctrine, discernment, and daily obedience.
Bible ProphecyScripture AloneIsrael and Jerusalem
View sermon