Luke 2:1-7

The Birth of Jesus

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus^[a] 14; also known as Octavian, he established the peaceful era known as the Pax Romana; Caesar was a title of Roman emperors. that the whole empire^[b] should be registered.

2 This first registration took place while^[c] Quirinius was governing Syria.

3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David,

5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him^[d] and was pregnant.

6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough-because there was no room for them at the inn.

Footnotes

• [a] Emperor who ruled the Roman Empire 27 b.c.-a.d.
• [b] Or the whole inhabited world
• [c] Or This registration was the first while, or This registration was before
• [d] Other mss read was his engaged wife