³⁶ And there was a ^(A)prophetess, ^[a]Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of ^(B)the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in ^[b]years ^(C)having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷ and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with ^(D)fastings and prayers. ³⁸ And at that very ^[c]moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were ^(E)waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹ And when they had finished everything according to the Law of the ^[d]Lord, they returned to Galilee, to ^(F)their own city of Nazareth. ^40 (G)Now the Child continued to grow and become strong, being filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ And His parents would go to Jerusalem every year at ^(H)the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when He became twelve years old, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; ⁴³ and as they were returning, after finishing the ^(I)days of the Feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents did not know. ⁴⁴ But supposing Him to be in the caravan, they went a day’s journey, and they began searching for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵ When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem searching for Him. ⁴⁶ And it happened that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard Him ^(J)were astounded at His understanding and His answers. ⁴⁸ When they saw Him, they were astonished, and ^(K)His mother said to Him, “Child, why have You treated us this way? Behold, ^(L)Your father and I ^[e]have been anxiously searching for You.” ⁴⁹ And He said to them, “Why is it that you were searching for Me? Did you not know that ^(M)I had to be in My Father’s ^[f]house?” ⁵⁰ But ^(N)they did not understand the statement which He had spoken to them. ⁵¹ And He went down with them and came to ^(O)Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them, and ^(P)His mother ^(Q)was treasuring all these ^[g]things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus was advancing in wisdom and ^[h]stature, and in ^(R)favor with God and men.

⁹ A widow is to be ^(A)put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been ^(B)the wife of one man,

⁶ namely, ^(A)if any man is beyond reproach, the ^(B)husband of one wife, having faithful children, who are not accused of ^(C)dissipation, or ^(D)rebellious.