Bible in Basic English
(As it says in the law of the Lord, Every mother's first male child is to be holy to the Lord),
And to make an offering, as it is ordered in the law of the Lord, of two doves or other young birds.
And there was then in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon; and he was an upright man, fearing God and waiting for the comfort of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was on him.
And he had knowledge, through the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death till he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And full of the Spirit he came into the Temple; and when the father and mother came in with the child Jesus, to do with him what was ordered by the law,
Then he took him in his arms and gave praise to God and said,
Now you are letting your servant go in peace, O Lord, as you have said;
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
Which you have made ready before the face of all nations;
A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
And his father and mother were full of wonder at the things which were said about him.
And Simeon gave them his blessing and said to Mary, his mother, See, this child will be the cause of the downfall and the lifting up of great numbers of people in Israel, and he will be a sign against which hard words will be said;
(And a sword will go through your heart;) so that the secret thoughts of men may come to light.
And there was one, Anna, a woman prophet, the daughter of Phanuel, of the family of Asher (she was very old, and after seven years of married life
She had been a widow for eighty-four years); she was in the Temple at all times, worshipping with prayers and going without food, night and day.
And coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, talking of him to all those who were waiting for the freeing of Jerusalem.
And when they had done all the things which were ordered by the law of the Lord, they went back to Galilee, to Nazareth, the town where they were living.
And the child became tall and strong and full of wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
And every year his father and mother went to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
And when he was twelve years old, they went up, as their way was, to the feast;
And when the days of the feast came to an end and they were going back, the boy Jesus was still in Jerusalem, but they had no knowledge of it:
And in the belief that he was with some of their number, they went a day's journey; and after looking for him among their relations and friends,
And seeing that he was not there, they went back to Jerusalem, to make search for him.
And after three days they came across him in the Temple, seated among the wise men, giving ear to their words and putting questions to them.
And all to whose ears it came were full of wonder at his knowledge and the answers which he gave.
And when they saw him they were surprised, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you done this to us? see, your father and I have been looking for you with sorrow.
And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? was it not clear to you that my right place was in my Father's house?
And his words seemed strange to them.
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth; and did as he was ordered: and his mother kept all these words in her heart.
And Jesus was increasing in wisdom and in years, and in grace before God and men.
— Luke 2:23-1964, Bible in Basic English
“(just as it is written in the law of the Lord,“Every firstborn male will be set apart to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves or two young pigeons. The Prophecy of Simeon Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon who was righteous and devout, looking for the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 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, Simeon took him in his arms and blessed God, saying, “Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” So the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary,“Listen carefully: This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed– and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!” The Testimony of Anna 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. So when Joseph and Mary had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him. Jesus in the Temple Now Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem every year for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. But when the feast was over, as they were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 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. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Jesus were astonished at his understanding and his answers. 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?” Yet his parents did not understand the remark he made to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. But his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.”
Then the keepers of the sheep went back, giving glory and praise to God for all the things which had come to their ears and which they had seen, as it had been said to them.
And when, after eight days, the time came for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given to him before his birth.
And when the necessary days for making them clean by the law of Moses had come to an end, they took him to Jerusalem to give him to the Lord
(As it says in the law of the Lord, Every mother's first male child is to be holy to the Lord),
And to make an offering, as it is ordered in the law of the Lord, of two doves or other young birds.
And there was then in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon; and he was an upright man, fearing God and waiting for the comfort of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was on him.
And he had knowledge, through the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death till he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And full of the Spirit he came into the Temple; and when the father and mother came in with the child Jesus, to do with him what was ordered by the law,
Then he took him in his arms and gave praise to God and said,
Now you are letting your servant go in peace, O Lord, as you have said;
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
Which you have made ready before the face of all nations;
A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
And his father and mother were full of wonder at the things which were said about him.
And Simeon gave them his blessing and said to Mary, his mother, See, this child will be the cause of the downfall and the lifting up of great numbers of people in Israel, and he will be a sign against which hard words will be said;
(And a sword will go through your heart;) so that the secret thoughts of men may come to light.
And there was one, Anna, a woman prophet, the daughter of Phanuel, of the family of Asher (she was very old, and after seven years of married life
She had been a widow for eighty-four years); she was in the Temple at all times, worshipping with prayers and going without food, night and day.
And coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, talking of him to all those who were waiting for the freeing of Jerusalem.
And when they had done all the things which were ordered by the law of the Lord, they went back to Galilee, to Nazareth, the town where they were living.
And the child became tall and strong and full of wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
And every year his father and mother went to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
And when he was twelve years old, they went up, as their way was, to the feast;
And when the days of the feast came to an end and they were going back, the boy Jesus was still in Jerusalem, but they had no knowledge of it:
And in the belief that he was with some of their number, they went a day's journey; and after looking for him among their relations and friends,
And seeing that he was not there, they went back to Jerusalem, to make search for him.
And after three days they came across him in the Temple, seated among the wise men, giving ear to their words and putting questions to them.
And all to whose ears it came were full of wonder at his knowledge and the answers which he gave.
And when they saw him they were surprised, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you done this to us? see, your father and I have been looking for you with sorrow.
And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? was it not clear to you that my right place was in my Father's house?
And his words seemed strange to them.
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth; and did as he was ordered: and his mother kept all these words in her heart.
And Jesus was increasing in wisdom and in years, and in grace before God and men.