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Which stories about Jesus’ childhood appear only in the Gospel According to Luke?
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St. Luke
St. Luke, illuminated page from the Beatus Apocalypse, Mozarabic, 975; in the Gerona Cathedral, Spain.
The Gospel According to Luke contains several unique narratives regarding the infancy and childhood of Jesus that are not found in the other Gospels. These include:1
- The Annunciation: The announcement by the angel Gabriel to Mary that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit.23
- The Visitation: Mary’s visit to her relative Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist, and the subsequent Magnificat.3
- The Census and Journey to Bethlehem: The account of the census taken under Caesar Augustus that prompted the journey to Bethlehem.13
- The Adoration of the Shepherds: The appearance of angels to shepherds in the fields, who then visited the newborn Jesus in a manger.13
- Circumcision and Presentation: The circumcision of Jesus and his presentation at the Temple of Jerusalem, where he was met by Simeon and the prophet Anna.13
- Jesus at Age 12: The account of the young Jesus in the Temple discussing the law with the doctors.1