according to the law of Moses, his parents brought him to 23 Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (as it is written in the law of the Lord: "Every male, who first openeth the 24 womb, shall be called holy to the Lord;") and to offer a sacrifice, according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons. 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and religious, looking for the consolation of Israel and the holy spirit was 26 upon him. And it was revealed to him by the holy spirit, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's 27 Anointed. And he came by the spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for 28 him according to the custom of the law, Simeon took him 29 up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, “O sovereign Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, accord30 ing to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which 32 thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to be revealed to the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." 33 And his father and mother wondered at those things which 34 were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them; and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel; and for a sign which will be 35 spoken against; (yea a sword will pierce through thine own soul also ;) so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed." 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: (she was far advanced in years, and had lived with a husband seven years from her 37 virginity and she was now a widow of about eighty-four years, who departed not from the temple, but served God with 38 fastings and prayers night and day :) she also came upon them at the same time, and gave thanks to the Lord, and spake of the child to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things according to the 39 40 law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew and was strengthened [in spirit,] being filled with wisdom and the favour of God was upon him. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast 42 of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, after 41 they had gone up [to Jerusalem] according to the custom of 43 the feast, and had fulfilled the days; as they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mo44 ther knew it not: but having supposed him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey: and they sought him. 45 among their kindred and acquaintance: and when they found 46 him not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them 47 and asking them questions. And all that heard him were 48 astonished at his understanding and answers. And when his parents saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, "Child, why hast thou done thus unto us? behold, 49 thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." And he said unto them, "How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that 50 I must needs be in my Father's house?" But they under51 stood not the thing which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men. 52 CH. III. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, (Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias 2 tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being high priests,) the word of God came to John, the son of Za3 chariah, in the desert. And he came into all the coun try about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance, 4 for the remission of sins: as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, [who saith,]" The voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the 5 Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked places shall be made straight, and the 6 rough ways shall be made smooth and all men* shall 7 see the salvation of God." Then he said to the multitudes that went forth to be baptized by him, “O offspringt of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the 8 anger which is about to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance; and begin not to say within yourselves, Abraham is‡ our father:' for I say unto you, that of these stones God is able to raise up 9 children to Abraham. And now the axe also is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the 10 fire." And the multitudes asked him, saying, “What 11 then shall we do?" And he answered and saith unto them, "He that hath two vests, let him give to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do in like 12 manner." Then came publicans also to be baptized, 13 and said unto him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said unto them, "Exact no more than that which is 14 appointed unto you." And the soldiers also asked him, 15 saying, "And what shall we do?" And he said unto them, "Take by violence from no man, and accuse not any falsely; and be content with your pay." And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether he 16 were the Christ or not; John spake, saying to them all, "I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose he will baptize you with the holy spirit, and * Gr. flesh. : 4 N. m. We have Abraham for, N. t. † generation, N. 17 with fire: whose winnowing-shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but will burn the chaff with un18 quenchable fire." And many other glad tidings also he preached to the people, exhorting them. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him about Herodias his brother's wife, and about all the evil things 20 which Herod had done, added this likewise to all, that he shut up John in prison. 21 Now it came to pass when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also having been baptized and praying, the 22 heaven was opened; and the holy spirit descended in a bodily appearancet, like a dove, upon him; and a voice came from heaven, [saying,] "Thou art my beloved son; in thee I am well pleased." 23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age; being (as was allowed by law) the son of Jo24 seph, who was the son of Heli, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Janna, who was the 25 son of Joseph, who was the son of Mattathiah, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Nahum, who was the son of Esli, who was the son of Naggé, who *Philip's, N. and R. T. See Griesb. + shape, N. This is Mr. Wakefield's translation. Αρχομαι ων ετων τριάκοντα, "incipio jam esse tricenarius, Grotius;" who observes that this expression can only be used of one who has finished his thirtieth year: a, circiter, may be understood of one who is something more than thirty years of age, as well as of one who is under that age. This was the age appointed by law for the Levites to enter upon their office. Num. iv. 3. 47. The primate's version is, “Jesus himself was about thirty years of age when he began his ministry.” And Dr. Campbell renders the passage, “Now Jesus was himself about thirty years in subjection." Whichsoever of these versions may be approved, it appears, from the uncommon accuracy with which Luke dates his history, that in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, our Lord, then entering upon his ministry, was no more than thirty years of age. And therefore he must have been born at least two years and nine months, and probably three years and nine months, after the death of Herod. The common hypothesis, which makes it necessary to maintain, that Jesus was nearly five-and-thirty, when the evangelist declares that he was no more than thirty, can never be supported by any principles of sound criticism. Lardner's Works vol. i. p. 428. i.e. entered in the public registers. See Pearce. As was supposed, N. W. 26 was the son of Maath, who was the son of Mattathiah, who was the son of Semei, who was the son of 27 Joseph, who was the son of Judah, who was the son of Joanna, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zerubbabel, who was the son of Salathiel, who was the 28 son of Neri, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Cosam, who was the son of 29 Elmodam, who was the son of Er, who was the son of José, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Jorim, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of 30 Levi, who was the son of Simeon, who was the son of Ju dah, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of 31 Jonan, who was the son of Eliakim, who was the son of Melea, who was the son of Menan, who was the son of Mattatha, who was the son of Nathan, who was the son 32 of David, who was the son of Jessé, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Booz, who was the son of Sal33 mon, who was the son of Naasson, who was the son of Aminadab, who was the son of Aram, who was the son of Hezron, who was the son of Phares, who was the son of 34 Judah, who was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, who was the son of 35 Terah, who was the son of Nahor, who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Rei, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Eber, who was the son of Salah, 36 who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who 37 was the son of Lamech, who was the son of Methuselah, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son of Mahalaleel, who was the son of Cainan, 38 who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.* The copies vary much in the order of the names, and the Cambridge manuscript contains the same genealogy here as in Matthew. |