Jesus · c. AD 8
Chapter 9
In His Father’s House
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Every year, when the feast of the came, ’ parents made the trip to .
The year Jesus was twelve, they went up for the feast as usual.
When the days of the feast were over, they started for home, while the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His mother and didn’t know it.
They thought he was with the others in their traveling group, and they went a day’s journey. Then they looked for him among their relatives and the people they knew.
When they didn’t find him, they turned back to Jerusalem, looking for him.
After three days they found him in the temple. He was sitting in the middle of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
All who heard him were amazed at how well he understood, and at the answers he gave.
His mother and Joseph were astonished to see him. “Son,” said his mother, “why have you treated us this way? Your father and I have been so worried, looking for you.”
He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
They didn’t understand what he had said to them.
Then he went down with them to , and he obeyed them.
His mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
She had done the same in , when he was newly born and lying in a feeding trough. Shepherds had come, and they told people far and wide what they had heard about this child. kept all those sayings, thinking them over in her heart.
And Jesus grew wiser and taller, and he grew in favor with God and people.