Presentation of the Lord

1Behold I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face. And presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the testament, whom you desire, shall come to his temple. Behold he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts. 2And who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? and who shall stand to see him? for he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller's herb: 3And he shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver, and they shall offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice. 4And the sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the days of old, and in the ancient years.

7Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in.

8Who is this King of Glory? the Lord who is strong and mighty: the Lord mighty in battle.

9Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in.

10Who is this King of Glory? the Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory.

14Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner hath been partaker of the same: that, through death, he might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is to say, the devil: 15And might deliver them, who through the fear of death were all their lifetime subject to servitude. 16For no where doth he take hold of the angels: but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold. 17Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful priest before God, that he might be a propitiation for the sins of the people. 18For in that, wherein he himself hath suffered and been tempted, he is able to succour them also that are tempted.

22And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord: 23As it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord: 24And to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons: 25And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him. 26And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. 27And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, 28He also took him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: 29Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; 30Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, 31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: 32A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. 34And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; 35And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed. 36And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. 37And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. 38Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord; and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel. 39And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth. 40And the child grew, and waxed strong, full of wisdom; and the grace of God was in him.