Reason for the Season...

Luke 2 (Amplified Bible)

Luke 2

 ¹IN THOSE days it occurred that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole ^[a]Roman empire should be registered.    ²This was the first enrollment, and it was made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
    ³And all the people were going to be registered, each to his own city or town.
    ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
    ⁵To be enrolled with Mary, his espoused (^[b]married) wife, who was about to become a mother.^{(A)
    6}And while they were there, the time came for her delivery,
    ⁷And she gave birth to her Son, her Firstborn; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room or place for them in the inn.
    ⁸And in that vicinity there were shepherds living [out under the open sky] in the field, watching [in shifts] over their flock by night.
    ⁹And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone all about them, and they were terribly frightened.
    ¹⁰But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.
    ¹¹For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord!^{(B)
    12}And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find [^[c]after searching] a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. [I Sam. 2:34; II Kings 19:29; Isa. 7:14.]
    ¹³Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven (^[d]a heavenly knighthood), praising God and saying,
    ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased [^[e]men of goodwill, of His favor].
    ¹⁵When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing (^[f]saying) that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.
    ¹⁶So they went with haste and [^[g]by searching] found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger.
    ¹⁷And when they saw it, they made known what had been told them concerning this Child,
    ¹⁸And all who heard it were astounded and marveled at what the shepherds told them.
    ¹⁹But Mary was keeping ^[h]within herself all these things (^[i]sayings), weighing and pondering them in her heart.
    ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.
    ²¹And at the end of eight days, when [the Baby] was to be circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
    ²²And when the time for their purification [the mother's purification and the Baby's dedication] came according to the Law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord--^{(C)
    23}As it is written in the Law of the Lord, Every [firstborn] male that opens the womb shall be set apart and dedicated and called holy to the Lord--^{(D)
    24}And [they came also] to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.^{(E)
    25}Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout [cautiously and carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
    ²⁶And it had been divinely revealed (communicated) to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
    ²⁷And prompted by the [Holy] Spirit, he came into the temple [^[j]enclosure]; and when the parents brought in the little child Jesus to do for Him what was customary according to the Law,
    ²⁸[Simeon] took Him up in his arms and praised and thanked God and said,
    ²⁹And now, Lord, You are releasing Your servant to depart (leave this world) in peace, according to Your word.
    ³⁰For with my [own] eyes I have seen Your Salvation,^{(F)
    31}Which You have ordained and prepared before (in the presence of) all peoples,
    ³²A Light for ^[k]revelation to the Gentiles [to disclose what was before unknown] and [to bring] praise and honor and glory to Your people Israel.^{(G)
    33}And His [legal] father and [His] mother were marveling at what was said about Him.
    ³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, Behold, this Child is appointed and destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against--^{(H)
    35}And a sword will pierce through your own soul also--that the secret thoughts and purposes of many hearts may be brought out and disclosed.
    ³⁶And there was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having lived with her husband seven years from her maidenhood,^{(I)
    37}And as a widow even for eighty-four years. She did not go out from the temple ^[l]enclosure, but was worshiping night and day with fasting and prayer.
    ³⁸And she too came up at that same hour, and she returned thanks to God and talked of [Jesus] to all who were looking for the redemption (deliverance) of Jerusalem.
    ³⁹And when they had done everything according to the Law of the Lord, they went back into Galilee to their own town, Nazareth.
    ⁴⁰And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of God was upon Him.^{(J)
    41}Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year to the Passover Feast.^{(K)
    42}And when He was twelve years [old], they went up, as was their custom.
    ⁴³And when the Feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. Now His parents did not know this,
    ⁴⁴But, supposing Him to be in the caravan, they traveled on a day's journey; and [then] they sought Him [diligently, looking up and down for Him] among their kinsfolk and acquaintances.
    ⁴⁵And when they failed to find Him, they went back to Jerusalem, looking for Him [up and down] all the way.
    ⁴⁶After three days they found Him [came upon Him] in the ^[m][court of the] temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
    ⁴⁷And all who heard Him were astonished and overwhelmed with bewildered wonder at His intelligence and understanding and His replies.
    ⁴⁸And when they [Joseph and Mary] saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, Child, why have You treated us like this? Here Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You [distressed and tormented].
    ⁴⁹And He said to them, How is it that you had to look for Me? Did you not see and know that it is necessary [as a duty] for Me ^[n]to be in My Father's house and [occupied] about My Father's business?
    ⁵⁰But they did not comprehend what He was saying to them.
    ⁵¹And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was [habitually] obedient to them; and his mother kept and closely and persistently guarded all these things in her heart.
    ⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man.

Lest we forget the true meaning of Christmas.

Merry Christmas one and all!!!!