The Birth of Jesus
(Matthew 1.18-25)1 About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. 2 These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. 4 So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family.
5 Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, 6 and while they were there, 7 she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds
8 That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. 9 All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. 10 But the angel said, “Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. 11 This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. 12 You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”
13 Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:
14 “Praise God in heaven!
Peace on earth to everyone
who pleases God.”
15 After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.
17 When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. 18 Everyone listened and was surprised. 19 But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant.
20 As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.
21 Eight days later Jesus' parents did for him what the Law of Moses commands. And they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told Mary when he promised she would have a baby.
Simeon Praises the Lord
22 The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born.
They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, 23 just as the Law of the Lord says, “Each first-born baby boy belongs to the Lord.” 24 The Law of the Lord also says parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did.
25 At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for him to save the people of Israel. God's Spirit came to him 26 and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord.
27 When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. 28 Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God,
29 “Lord, I am your servant,
and now I can die in peace,
because you have kept
your promise to me.
30 With my own eyes I have seen
what you have done
to save your people,
31 and foreign nations
will also see this.
32 Your mighty power is a light
for all nations,
and it will bring honor
to your people Israel.”
33 Jesus' parents were surprised at what Simeon had said. 34 Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, 35 and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”
Anna Speaks about the Child Jesus
36 The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died. 37 And now she was 84 years old. Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating.
38 At this time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free.
The Return to Nazareth
39 After Joseph and Mary had done everything that the Law of the Lord commands, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 The child Jesus grew. He became strong and wise, and God blessed him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for Passover. 42 And when Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration. 43 After Passover his parents left, but they did not know that Jesus had stayed on in the city. 44 They thought he was traveling with some other people, and they went a whole day before they started looking for him. 45 When they could not find him with their relatives and friends, they went back to Jerusalem and started looking for him there.
46 Three days later they found Jesus sitting in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was surprised at how much he knew and at the answers he gave.
48 When his parents found him, they were amazed. His mother said, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried, and we have been searching for you!”
49 Jesus answered, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I would be in my Father's house?” 50 But they did not understand what he meant.
51 Jesus went back to Nazareth with his parents and obeyed them. His mother kept on thinking about all that had happened.
52 Jesus became wise, and he grew strong. God was pleased with him and so were the people.
Ongwatero ya Jesus
(Mt 1:18-25)1 Momayuva ngo ombara yokombanda Augustus wa rakizire kutja ovandu avehe mehi arihe rouhonapare wa Roma ve tjangwe. 2 Nomatjangero nga omatenga tji ya utwa tjandje Sirenius onguri ongooneya yehi ra Sirie. 3 Nu avehe va ya okukeritjangisa, auhe kotjihuro tje.
4 Josef wina wa zire motjihuro Nasaret mehi ra Galilea, a i kehi ra Judea kObetlehem, ihi otjihuro tja David, tjinga a zire momuhoko wa David. 5 Eye we keritjangisa puna Maria, omukazendu we omuvarekwa, nu ngwa ri otjingundi. 6 Nowo ngunda averi mObetlehem, omayuva we wombandukiro arire tji ya yenene. 7 Neye wa panduka omuatje omuzandu otjiveri, e mu manga momarapi nu e mu rareke metemba rozonyanda, owo tjinga ave ha ri noruveze mondjuwo yovayenda.
Ovarise novaengeri
8 Nu morukondwa rwehi ndo mwa ri ovarise mokuti, mbaa ve risa ozonḓu zawo ouṱuku. 9 Tjimanga omuengeri wa Muhona wa kuramene pu wo, ouyere wa Muhona we ve kondoroka nondjerera, nowo arire tji va tira nokutira okunene tjinene. 10 Nungwari ingwi omuengeri wa Muhona wa tja nai ku wo: “Amu tira ko! Purateneye, ami mbe mu etere ombuze ombwa ndji mai rire enyando enene kotjiwaṋa atjihe. 11 Ndinondi motjihuro tja David eṋe mwa kwaterwa Omuyame, eye ngu ri Kristus, Muhona! 12 Nu otjizemburukiro ku mamu mu tjivirwa, otjo hi: Mamu kamuna okanatje ku ka mangwa momarapi, nu ku ka rarekwa metemba rozonyanda.”
13 Tjimanga pomuengeri ngwi pa munika otjimbumba otjinene tjovaengeri veyuru tjaa tji tanga Ndjambi ama tji tja:
14 “Ondjozikiro ku Ndjambi mokombandambanda meyuru,
nohange kombanda yehi kovandu eye me nonyuṋe!”
15 Novaengeri tji va zapo pu wo nu ave yaruka keyuru, ovarise otji va raerasana ave tja: “Indjeye tu yende kObetlehem tu kamune otjiṋa hi tji tja tjitwa, nu tji twa raerwa i Muhona.”
16 Nowo otji va ya amave hakahana nave kamuna Maria na Josef nokanatje ku ka rarekwa metemba rozonyanda. 17 Ovarise tji va muna inga okanatje, arire tji ve ve raere imbi omuengeri mbya hungire ohunga nokanatje nga. 18 Avehe mba zuvire omambo nga va himisirwe i oviṋa mbi va raererwe i ovarise. 19 Maria wa ṱakamisa omambo nga aehe ne ripura na wo momutima we. 20 Novarise va yaruka amave tanga nokuhivirika Ndjambi mena roviṋa avihe mbi va zuva na mbi va muna otja punga ava serekarererwa i yomuengeri.
Jesus ma rukwa ena
21 Omayuva hambondatu womasukarekero tjiya yenena, omuatje wa sukarekwa na rukwa ena Jesus, indi ena omuengeri nde mu rukire ngunda ina e hiya rira otjingundi.
Jesus ma raisiwa mondjuwo ya Muhona
22 Nomayuva womakohororero otja komuhingo wOmatwako wa Moses tji ye ya komaandero, Josef na Maria arire tji va twara omuatje kOjerusalem okukemuraisa ku Muhona, 23 otja tji pa tjangwa nai mOmatwako wa Muhona: “Otjirume atjihe tji tja tenge okukwatwa ngatji yapurirwe Muhona.” 24 Owo wina va kapunguha ovingutyona vivari poo ozohanda mbari otja tji pa heewa mOmatwako wa Muhona.
25 Nu momayuva ngo mwa ri omurumendu wena Simeon, ngwa turire mOjerusalem. Eye wa ri omurumendu omusemba nomupyuke mokuṱiza omatwako wa Ndjambi, nu ngu ya undju Israel kutja tji yamwe. NOmbepo Ondjapuke ya ri mu ye, 26 notji ye mu tjivisa kutja eye kamaa ṱu nga tja munu Omutwirisiwa wa Muhona. 27 Simeon wa twarewa i Ombepo kondjuwo ya Muhona. Novanene vokanatje Jesus tji ve ke eta kondjuwo ya Muhona kutja ve ke yenenisire imbi mbya tjangwa mOmatwako, 28 Simeon otja pukata inga okanatje nu a tanga Ndjambi a tja:
29 “Muhona, ove nambano wa yenenisa omakwizikiro woye,
isa omukarere woye a yende mohange,
30 omeho wandje tjinga aya munu ondjamo yoye,
31 indji ndji wa ṱunina momurungu woviwaṋa avihe:
32 Ondjerera yomavandururiro ku imba mbe he ri Ovajuda,
nu ndji mai eta ondjozikiro kotjiwaṋa tjoye Israel.”
33 Nu ina na ihe yomuatje va himisirwe i omambo Simeon nga hungirira ye. 34 Simeon we ve sera ondaya na tja ku Maria, ina yomuatje: “Tara, omuatje ngwi wa toororwa i Ndjambi a rire omawiro nomayeuriro wovengi mOisrael, nu a rire otjiraisiro tji matji pirukirwa, 35 kokutja omeripuriro wawo womongumumu ye horoke. Nomutima woye mau tuvakaṋewa i engaruvyo.”
36 Wina pa ri omukazendu omuprofete ngwa kurupire tjinene wena Ana, omusuko wa Fanuel, womuhoko wa Aser. Eye tjandje nao tja ri omutanda wa kupirwe oure wozombura hambombari uriri omurumendu a koka. 37 Eye wa kara omuhepundu nga tja tjita ozombura omirongo hambondatu na ine. Eye aa karere Ndjambi omutenya nouṱuku ame ritjaere kovikurya nu ama kumbu mondjuwo ya Muhona. 38 Ana wina we ere moiri tjingeyo ndjo, a hivirike Ndjambi na serekarere ohunga na ingwi omuatje ku imba avehe mbaa ve undju onguturiro ya Jerusalem.
Okuyaruka kOnasaret
39 Josef na Maria tji va za nokumana oviṋa avihe otja tji pa heewa i Omatwako wa Muhona, va yaruka kotjihuro tjawo Nasaret kehi ra Galilea. 40 Ingwi omuatje we kura, na hara omasa, tjandje we ura nounongo, nondjingonekero ya Ndjambi ai ri puna ye.
Omuzandu Jesus mondjuwo ya Muhona
41 Ombura aihe ovanene va Jesus aave i kOjerusalem komukandi wOpaska. 42 Jesus tja ri nozombura omurongo na mbari, owo wina ve ere komukandi wOpaska otja tjinga iyape tjitwa aruhe. 43 Nu indi eyuva romukandi tji ra kapita, ovanene va Jesus otji ve rirongera okuyaruka konganda, nungwari ingwi omuatje Jesus wa sewa kombunda mOjerusalem, ovanene ve ave hi nokutjiwa. 44 Owo va tjongovasi eye u ri mokati kombunga, notji va ka wondja oure weyuva arihe; tjazumba ave utu okumupaha mokati kovazamumwe novatjiwasane. 45 Nu tji ve he mu mwine, arire tji va yaruka kOjerusalem amave mu paha. 46 Kombunda yomayuva yetatu owo ve mu vaza mondjuwo ya Muhona a haama puna ovahonge vOvajuda nu ama puratene ku wo nokuvepura omapuriro. 47 Avehe mbe mu zuvire va himisirwe i ozondunge ze nomaziriro we. 48 Ovanene ve tji ve mu muna, arire tji va kumwa. Nu ina wa tja ku ye: “Muatje wandje, okutjavi tji we tu tjiti nao? Tara, iho na ami twe ku paha tjinene ama turikende.”
49 Eye wa zira a tja: “Eṋe ongwaye tji ma muso ku ndji paha? Kamu nokutjiwa kutja ami mbi sokukara mondjuwo ya Tate are?” 50 Nungwari owo kave zuvire nawa inga omaziriro womambo we.
51 Jesus otja yaruka puna wo kOnasaret nu a kakara nonḓuviro ku wo. Ina wa ṱakamisa oviṋa avihe mbi momutima we. 52 Nu Jesus we kura mozondunge na momuseka, Ndjambi novandu ave nonyuṋe mu ye.
