1
About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire.
2
This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3
Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for.
4
So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there.
5
He went with Mary, his fiancŽe, who was pregnant.
6
While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7
She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.