January 4th, 2025

The season of Christmas continues! The topic of the twelve days of Christmas could be discussed, but there are more important things. These writings have been focusing on the four Gospel accounts, translating them a little bit at a time, in the order in which they given by the writers. Last week’s writing looked at Luke 2:1-20, the famous Christmas narrative.

The Gospel Reading for this Sunday is Luke 2:40-52, and it is rare that this is the text in each of the three years of the three-year series. That is just a bit farther along than we are in our study of this special gospel account. But this week’s writing will try to make up that difference.

So, what is below is a very literal translation of Luke 2:21-52. It is admittedly a longer text than the writings of other weeks, but hopefully this is also helpful. The context of a Sunday text is a very important aspect. (And when this is being written, the weather forecast in this part of the world looks quite bad for this Sunday, so this writing may help if worship gets cancelled on Sunday.) The first verses of the text already combined the act of circumcision—which happened on the eighth day—with the act of purification or cleansing—which happened on the fortieth day—so it was not much to add when Jesus was twelve years old. Very special things continue to happen on special days with special numbers, and so it is with the number twelve. (And you may have already noticed that the word ‘teenager’ is not biblical.)

The hyphens and the double spaces between the words are given to help the reader see what one word in the language of the New Testament is given in the English. And hopefully that is also a helpful thing. This writer used a lot of big and rare words. And there are a LOT of ways this text could be translated. You will probably want to look at a study bible or the text in other translations to help you through this very long text.

As promised, here is Luke 2:21-52 in a very literal translation (and the word in brackets is a word in the Greek that is usually not translated into English; it denotes a look at the future of the event happening, something that has not happened as of yet; it is hinted at below in the words ‘should’ and ‘may’):

And  when  they-were-fulfilled,  days  eight,  of-the  to-circumcise  him,  and  it-was-called,  the  name  of-him,  Jesus,  the-one  having-been-called  by  the  angel,  before  the  to-be-conceived  him,  in  the  womb.

And  when  they-were-fulfilled,  the  days  of-the  catharsis  of-them,  according-to  the  Law  of-Moses,  they-led-up  him  into  Jerusalem,  to-stand-along  to-the  Lord,  as  it-has-been-written  in  Law  of-Lord,  “Every  male  opening  a-womb,  holy  to-the  Lord,  he-will-be-called,”  and  of-the  to-give  a-sacrifice,  according-to  the-thing  having-been-said  in  the  Law  of-Lord,  “A-pair  of-turtledoves  or  two  young-birds  of-pigeons.”

And  look,  a-man  was  in  Jerusalem,  to-whom  name  Simeon,  and  the  man,  this,  righteous  and  devout,  expecting  consolation  of-the  Israel,  and  Spirit  was,  Holy,  upon  him.  And  it-was  to-him,  having-been-warned  by  the  Spirit,  the  Holy,  not  to-see  death,  before  which  [contingency]  he-should-see  the  Christ  of-Lord. 

And  he-came  in  the  Spirit  into  the  temple,  and  in  the  to-bring-in,  the  parents,  the  child,  Jesus,  the  to-do,  them,  according-to  the  things-having-been-made-a-custom  of-the  Law  concerning  him,  and  he,  he-received  him  into  the  arms,  and  he-blessed  the  God,  and  he-said,  “Now,  you-are-releasing  the  slave  of-you,  Despot,  according-to  the  word  of-you  in  peace;  because  they-saw,  the  eyes  of-me,  the  salvation  of-you,  which  you-have-prepared  according-to  face  of-all  the  peoples,  a-light  into  an-apocalypse  of-nations,  and  a-glory  of-people  of-you,  Israel.”

And  he-was,  the  father  of-him,  and  the  mother  marveling  upon  the-things  being-spoken  concerning  him.  And  he-blessed  them,  Simeon,  and  he-said  toward  Mariam,  the  mother  of-him,  “Look,  this-one  is-appointed  into  fall  and  rising  of-many  in  the  Israel,  and  into  a-sign  antilegomenon,  and  of-you,  now,  self,  the  soul  it-will-go-through,  a-sword,  so-as  [contingency],  they-may-have-an-apocalypse  out-of  many  hearts,  dialogues.”

And  she-was  Anna,  a-prophetess,  daughter  of-Phanuel,  out-of  tribe  of-Asher,  this  having-advanced  in  days,  many,  having lived  with  a-husband  years,  seven,  from  the  virginity  of-her,  and  she  a-widow  until  years,  eighty  four,  who  not  she-withdrew-from  the  temple,  with-fastings,  and  petitionings,  serving  night  and  day.  And  in-that  the  hour,  having-stood-upon,  she-was-giving-thanks  to-the  God,  and  she-was-speaking  about  him  to-all  the-ones  expecting  redemption  in-Jerusalem.  And  when  they-finished  all-things  the  according-to  the  Law  of-Lord,  they-returned  into  the  Galilee,  into  a-city  of-themselves,  Nazareth.  Now  the  child,  he-was-growing,  and  he-was-being-strengthened,  being-filled  with-wisdom,  and  grace  of-God  was  upon  him.

And  they-went,  the  parents  of-him,  according  to-year,  into  Jerusalem,  in-the  feast  of-the  Pascha.  And  when  he-became  of-years  twelve,  going-up  they,  according-to  the  ethos  of-the  feast,  and  having-completed  the  days,  in  the  to-return,  they,  he-remained-behind,  Jesus,  the  boy,  in  Jerusalem,  and  not  they-knew,  the  parents  of-him.  Now  supposing  him  to-be  in  the  synod,  they-went  a-day  way,  and  they-were-seeking  him  in  the  relatives  and  the  known-people,  and  not  having-found,  they-returned  into  Jerusalem,  seeking  him.

And  it-happened  after  days,  three,  they-found  him  in  the  temple,  sitting  in  midst  of-the  teachers  and  hearing  them  and  questioning  them;  now  they-were-standing-out,  all  the-ones  hearing him,  upon  the  intelligence  and  the  answers  of-him.  And  having-seen  him,  they-were-struck-out,  and  she-said  toward  him,  the  mother  of-him,  “Child,  why  you-do  to-us  so?  Look,  the  father  of-you  and-I  suffering-pain,  we-were-seeking  you.”​

And  he-said  toward  them,  “Why  that  you-were-seeking  me?  Do-not  you-know  that  in  the-ones  of-the  Father  of-me,  it-is-necessary  to-be,  me?”  And  they  not  they-did-understand  the  matter  which  he-spoke  to-them.  And  he-went-down  with  them,  and  he-came  into  Nazareth,  and  he-was  being-put-under  to-them.  And  the  mother  of-him  she-was-keeping-thoroughly  all  the  matters  in  the  heart  of-her.  And  Jesus,  he-was-progressing  in  the  wisdom  and  maturity  and  grace  by  God  and  men.