Luke 2
Luke 2 is the Christmas chapter — the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the angels and shepherds, and the boy Jesus in the temple. The most-read passage of the Christian year.
The Book of Luke · New Testament · chapter 2 of 24.
Where this chapter sits
Following the annunciation and John the Baptist's birth in the previous chapter, Luke ties this nativity to a specific political moment, a census under Roman authority that moves Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Shepherds, not officials, receive the announcement first. The chapter then jumps twelve years ahead to the boy in the temple, Luke's only glimpse of Jesus between infancy and the adult ministry that opens in chapter three.
Key verses (KJV)
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” — Luke 2:11 (KJV)
What to notice as you read
Compare the two audiences the chapter gives the news to: shepherds in a field for the birth, and much later, teachers in the temple courts astonished by a twelve-year-old's questions. The census detail anchors an intimate family story inside a specific, named moment of Roman administration.
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Frequently asked questions
Where does Luke 2 come in Luke?
It is chapter 2 of 24 in Luke, a book of Gospel in the New Testament. The other widely-read chapters of Luke are linked further down this page.
Where can I read Luke 2?
Read the full text of Luke 2 — and the whole Bible, offline, in your preferred translation — free in the Quiethaven app for iPhone.