The Birth of Jesus Christ
1 In those days
1a decree went out from
2Caesar Augustus that all the world should be
3registered.
2
This was the first
4registration when Quirinius
5was governor of Syria.
3
And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
4
And Joseph also went up
6from Galilee, from the town of
7Nazareth, to Judea, to
8the city of David, which is called
9Bethlehem,
10because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5
to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
6
And
11while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and
12wrapped him in swaddling cloths and
13laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in
14the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9
And an angel of the Lord
15appeared to them, and
16the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.
10
And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all
17the people.
11
For
18unto you is born this day in
19the city of David
20a Savior, who is
21Christ
22the Lord.
12
And
23this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby
24wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
13
And suddenly there was with the angel
25a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14
26"Glory to God
27in the highest,
28and on earth
29peace
30among those with whom he is pleased!"
15
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."
16
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby
31lying in a manger.
17
And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
18
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
19
But
32Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20
And the shepherds returned,
33glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21
And
34at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised,
35he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.