Read The Jewish Annotated New Testament Online
Authors: Amy-Jill Levine
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After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
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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 firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”),
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and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
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Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;
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this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him.
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It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
*
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Guided by the Spirit, Simeon
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came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law,
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Simeon
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took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
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“Master, now you are dismissing your
servant
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in peace,
according to your word;
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for my eyes have seen your salvation,
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which you have prepared in the
presence of all peoples,
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a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
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And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.
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Then Simeon
*
blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed
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so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
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There was also a prophet, Anna
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the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
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then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.
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At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child
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to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
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When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
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The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
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Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.
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And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.
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When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
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Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.
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When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
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After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
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And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
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When his parents
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saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.”
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He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
*
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But they did not understand what he said to them.
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Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
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And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years,
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and in divine and human favor.
3
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler
*
of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler
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of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler
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of Abilene,
2
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
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He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
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as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
“The voice of one crying out in the
wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
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Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be
made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
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and all flesh shall see the salvation of
God.’”
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John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
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Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
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Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
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And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”
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In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”
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Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
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He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.”
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Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”
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As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,
*
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John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with
*
the Holy Spirit and fire.
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His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
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So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
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But Herod the ruler,
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who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done,
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added to them all by shutting up John in prison.
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Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened,
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and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved;
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with you I am well pleased.”
*
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Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work. He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph son of Heli,
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son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph,
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son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai,
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son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda,
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son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
*
son of Neri,
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son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er,
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son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi,
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son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim,
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son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David,
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son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Sala,
*
son of Nahshon,
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son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni,
*
son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah,
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son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor,
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son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah,
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son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech,
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son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan,
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son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.
4
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
2
where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.
3
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.”
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Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”