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1 In those
days a decree went out from Caesar
Augustus that the whole world should be
enrolled. 2 This was the first
enrollment, when Quirinius was governor
of Syria. 3 So all went to be enrolled,
each to his own town. 4 And Joseph too
went up from Galilee from the town of
Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David
that is called Bethlehem, because he was
of the house and family of David, 5 to
be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed,
who was with child. 6 While they were
there, the time came for her to have her
child, 7 and she gave birth to her
firstborn son. She wrapped him in
swaddling clothes and laid him in a
manger, because there was no room for
them in the inn. 8 Now there were
shepherds in that region living in the
fields and keeping the night watch over
their flock. 9 The angel of the Lord
appeared to them and the glory of the
Lord shone around them, and they were
struck with great fear. 10 The angel
said to them, "Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news
of great joy that will be for all the
people. 11 For today in the city of
David a savior has been born for you who
is Messiah and Lord. 12 And this will be
a sign for you: you will find an infant
wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying
in a manger." 13 And suddenly there
was a multitude of the heavenly host
with the angel, praising God and saying: |
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14
"Glory to God in the highest and on
earth peace to those on whom his favor
rests." 15 When the angels went
away from them to heaven, the shepherds
said to one another, "Let us go,
then, to Bethlehem to see this thing
that has taken place, which the Lord has
made known to us." 16 So they went
in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and
the infant lying in the manger. 17 When
they saw this, they made known the
message that had been told them about
this child. 18 All who heard it were
amazed by what had been told them by the
shepherds. 19 And Mary kept all these
things, reflecting on them in her heart.
20 Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all they
had heard and seen, just as it had been
told to them.
Matthew
1: 18-25
18
Now this is how the birth of Jesus
Christ came about. When his mother Mary
was betrothed to Joseph, but before they
lived together, she was found with child
through the holy Spirit. 19 Joseph her
husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly. 20 Such
was his intention when, behold, the
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
dream and said, "Joseph, son of
David, do not be afraid to take Mary
your wife into your home. For it is
through the holy Spirit that this child
has been conceived in her. 21 She will
bear a son and you are to name him
Jesus, because he will save his people
from their sins." 22 All this took
place to fulfill what the Lord had said
through the prophet: 23 "Behold,
the virgin shall be with child and bear
a son, and they shall name him
Emmanuel," which means "God is
with us." 24 When Joseph awoke, he
did as the angel of the Lord had
commanded him and took his wife into his
home. 25 He had no relations with her
until she bore a son, and he named him
Jesus.
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