The Birth of Jesus Christ

¹In those days la decree went out from mCaesar Augustus that all the world should be nregistered. ²This was the first nregistration when1 Quirinius owas governor of Syria. ³And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴And Joseph also went up pfrom Galilee, from the town of qNazareth, to Judea, to rthe city of David, which is called sBethlehem, tbecause he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,2 who was with child. ⁶And twhile they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and uwrapped him in swaddling cloths and vlaid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in wthe inn.3

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord xappeared to them, and ythe glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all zthe people. ¹¹For aunto you is born this day in bthe city of David ca Savior, who is dChrist ethe Lord. ¹²And fthis will be a sign for you: you will find a baby gwrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel ha multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴i“Glory to God jin the highest,

jand on earth kpeace lamong those with whom he is pleased!”4

¹⁵When 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.” ¹⁶And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby mlying in a manger. ¹⁷And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But nMary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰And the shepherds returned, oglorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

²¹And pat the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, qhe was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Presented at the Temple

²²And rwhen the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem sto present him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in tthe Law of the Lord, u“Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in tthe Law of the Lord, v“a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” ²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was wrighteous and xdevout, ywaiting for zthe consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not asee death before he had seen bthe Lord's Christ. ²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when cthe parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ²⁸he took him up in his arms and dblessed God and said,

²⁹“Lord, now you are letting your servant5 depart ein peace,

faccording to your word;

³⁰for gmy eyes have seen your hsalvation

³¹ithat you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

³²ja light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and kfor glory to lyour people Israel.”

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