Study Desk

So Simeon, directed by the Spirit, came into the temple courts, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law,

For my eyes have seen your salvation

a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."

There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having been married to her husband for seven years until his death.

She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

At that moment, she came up to them and began to give thanks to God and to speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Now Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem every year for the feast of the Passover.

but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers) they went a day's journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances.

When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

When his parents saw him, they were overwhelmed. His mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously."

But he replied, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"

He went into all the region around the Jordan River, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight .

Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don't begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones!

Then some soldiers also asked him, "And as for us—what should we do?" He told them, "Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay."

where for forty days he endured temptations from the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were completed, he was famished.

And he said to him, "To you I will grant this whole realm—and the glory that goes along with it, for it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish.

for it is written, ‘ He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you ,'

They were all amazed and began to say to one another, "What's happening here? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"

But Jesus said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do."