The Birth of Jesus
(Matthew 1.18-25)1 At that time Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. 3 Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own hometown.
4 Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. 5 He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, 6 and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. 7 She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger—there was no room for them to stay in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, 10 but the angel said to them, “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. 11 This very day in David's town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord! 12 And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger. 17 When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child. 18 All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said. 19 Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them. 20 The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.
Jesus Is Named
21 A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
22 The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23 as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every first-born male is to be dedicated to the Lord.” 24 They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.
25 At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him 26 and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's promised Messiah. 27 Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required, 28 Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:
29 “Now, Lord, you have kept your promise,
and you may let your servant go in peace.
30 With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
32 A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles
and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33 The child's father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him. 34 Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against 35 and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.”
36-37 There was a very old prophet, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple; day and night she worshiped God, fasting and praying. 38 That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.
The Return to Nazareth
39 When Joseph and Mary had finished doing all that was required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. 40 The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God's blessings were upon him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual. 43 When the festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know this; 44 they thought that he was with the group, so they traveled a whole day and then started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 They did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him. 46 On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his intelligent answers. 48 His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you.”
49 He answered them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?” 50 But they did not understand his answer.
51 So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favor with God and people.
Okudalwa kwaJesus
1 Ndele momafiku enya opa ningwa omhango ya dja komukesari Augustus, ounyuni aushe u lishangife u yandje oifendela. 2 Elishangifo eli olotete, nola ningwa Kirenius eshi a li omwene waSiria. 3 Ndele aveshe ova ya ko, ve ke lishangife, keshe ou moshilando shavo. 4 Ndele osho yo Josef a fikama muGalilea moshilando shaNasaret nokwa ya kuJudea koshilando shaDavid sha ifanwa Betlehem, osheshi ye owomeumbo nomepata laDavid, 5 e ke lishangife pamwe nomuputulwa waye Maria, ou a li omufimba. 6 Ndele pa ningwa, eshi va li ko, efiku lokudala le mu hanga. 7 Ndele ye okwe livelipa oshiveli shaye okamati ndele okwe ka tonyena momalapi, ndele okwe ka nangeka mepeta lokulila oimuna, osheshi inava mona onhele mongulu yovaenda.
Ovaengeli novafita
8 Ndele oko kwa li ovafita va nangela oimuna yavo oufiku moixwa. 9 Ndele omweengeli wOmwene e uya noshinge shOmwene she va minikila, ndele vo ova haluka nehaluko linene. 10 Ndele omweengeli wOmwene okwa tya kuvo: “Inamu tila, taleni ame ohandi mu udifile ehafo linene tali ningi lovanhu aveshe. 11 Onena tuu eli mwa dalelwa Omukulili moshilando shaDavid, Oye tuu ou Kristus Omwene. 12 Nedidiliko mu mu koneke oleli: otamu ka mona okaana ka tonyenwa momalapi, ndele taka nangekwa mepeta lokulila oimuna.”
13 Ndelenee ohaluka, pomweengeli opa holoka ongudu inene yovakwaita vomeulu, ova hambelela Kalunga tava ti: 14 “Efimano olaKalunga mokombadambada nombili kombada yedu movanhu e va hokwa.” 15 Ndele ovaengeli eshi va dja po puvo va shuna meulu, ovafita ova tongafana tava ti: “Tu yeni hano kuBetlehem tu ka tale eshi sha ningwa ko, Omwene e shi tu hololela.” 16 Ndele vo ova ya nokweendelela, ndele va mona Maria naJosef nokaana ka nangala mepeta lokulila oimuna. 17 Ndele eshi ve ka mona, ova hepaulula apeshe eendjovo odo ve di lombwelelwa okaana aka. 18 Ndele aveshe ava ve di uda ova kuminwa odo ve di hepaululilwa kovafita. 19 Ndele Maria okwa tuvikila eendjovo odo adishe momutima waye. 20 Ndele ovafita ova shuna nokuhambelela nokufimaneka Kalunga omolwaaishe ei ve i uda nove i mona, ngaashi va lombwelwa.
Jesus ta twalwa motembeli
21 Ndele eshi pa pita omafiku ahetatu, okaana ka pita etanda nedina lako ola lukwa Jesus, olo tuu olo ke li lukwa komweengeli fimbo inaka holoka medimo laina.
22 Nomafiku avo elikosho opamhango yaMoses eshi a wana, ove ka twala kuJerusalem, ve ka twale koshipala shOmwene; 23 ongaashi sha shangwa momhango yOmwene: Okalume keshe taka yeulula oshidalelo shaina naka yapulilwe Omwene, 24 nokuyandja eyambo omalyamono avali ile ounghutyona vavali opanghedi yomhango yOmwene.
Ekundo lomuxungu Simeon
25 Ndele tala, muJerusalem omwa li mu nomunhu edina laye Simeon, omuyuki nokwa tila Kalunga, onakuteelela ehekeleko laIsrael, nOmhepo Iyapuki ya kala muye. 26 Ndele okwa hololelwa kOmhepo Iyapuki kutya, ye ita mono efyo fimbo ina mona Kristus Omwene. 27 Ndele ye okwa etwa kOmhepo Iyapuki motembeli. Hano ovakulunhu eshi va eta mo okaana Jesus ve ka ningile panghedi yomhango, 28 naye yo okwe ka ukata momaoko aye, ndele ta hambelele Kalunga ndele ta ti:
29 “Omwene, paife oto lekele omupiya woye, a ye nombili
ngaashi wa tile,
30 osheshi omesho ange a mona exupifo loye,
31 we li longa moipafi yoiwana aishe,
32 ouyelele okuminikila ovapaani
nefimano loshiwana shoye Israel.”
33 Ndele xe naina ova kuminwa eendjovo odo de mu popilwa. 34 Ndele Simeon okwe va nangeka noupuna ndele okwa tya kuina yako Maria:
“Tala, ou okwa tulwa po okupundula nokuyambula vahapu vomuIsrael
nedidiliko eli tali twilwa eemhata,
35 naave mwene yo, eongamukonda otali tyuula omutima woye,
omadiladilo avahapu opo a hololwe.”
Ekundo lomukainhu Hanna
36 Ndele omo mwa li yo Hanna, omuxunganeki, omona waFanuel womepata laAsser. Okwa li a kula. Eshi a hombolwa okakadona, okwa kala nomulumenhu waye omido heyali, 37 ndele pefimbo olo okwa li omufiyekadi e nomido omilongo hetatu nanhee. Ye ina dja mo nandenande motembeli, ndelenee okwa longela mo Kalunga oufiku nomutenya nokulidilika nokwiilikana. 38 Ndele opefimbo tuu olo okwe uya po, okwa hambelela Kalunga nokwe ka hepaulula kwaaveshe ovo va teelela ekulilo laJerusalem.
Eputuko laJesus
39 Ndele eshi va wanifa aishe pamhango yOmwene, ova shuna kuGalilea koshilando shavo kuNasaret. 40 Ndele okaana oka kula ndele oka pama momhepo noka yada ounongo, nonghenda yaKalunga ya kala kombada yako.
Okaana Jesus motembeli
41 Ndele ovakulunhu vako ova li hava i kuJerusalem keshe omudo koshivilo shaPaasa. 42 Ndele ye eshi a wanifa omido omulongo nambali ova ya ko vali panghedi yoshivilo. 43 Ndelenee omafiku oo eshi a pita po, ndele va dja ko, okaana Jesus oka fyaala muJerusalem, ndele Josef naina yako va li inave shi shiiva. 44 Ndelenee ova li ve shii oku li mongudu yovaendi, ndele ova enda oshikako shefiku limwe, ndele ove mu konga mokati kavakwao naava ve lishii navo, 45 ndele eshi inave mu mona mo, ova shuna kuJerusalem oku mu konga. 46 Ndele eshi pa pita omafiku atatu, opo nee ove ka hanga nee motembeli, ke li omutumba mokati kovalongindjovo noku va pwilikina noku va pula. 47 Ndele aveshe ovo ve ka uda ova kuminwa eendunge dako nomanyamukulo ako. 48 Ndele eshi ve ka mona ngaha ova haluka, ina okwe ka lombwela: “Omumwange, oshike we tu ningila ngaha? Tala, fye naxo twe ku konga nokuyehama.” 49 Ndele Ye okwa tya kuvo: “Oshike mwa konga nge? Kamu shi shii hamba, Ame ndi nokukala mwaai yaTate?” 50 Ndele vo ova li vehe udite ko eendjovo odo e di va lombwela. 51 Ndele Ye okwa dja mo navo, nokwe uya kuNasaret ndele okwa li ha dulika kuvo. Ndele ina okwa tuvikila eendjovo odo adishe momutima waye.
52 Ndele Jesus okwa kula mounongo nomoukulunhu nomonghenda puKalunga nopovanhu.
