When
joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the lord had commanded him and took
his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a
son, and he named him Jesus.
Chapter 2 1:14
When Jesus
was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi
from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king
of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him
homage."
When King
Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he
inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In
Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:
'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the
rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd
my people Israel.'"
Then Herod
called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the
star's appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search
diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I
too may go and do him homage."
After
their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that
they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped
over the place where the child was.
They were
overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the
child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him
homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return
to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
When they
had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a
dream and said,
"Rise,
take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I
tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
Joseph
rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for
Egypt.
Luke 2:1-20
In
those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be
taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took
place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his
own town to register.
So
Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to
Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line
of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be
married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the
time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her
firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a
manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And
there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch
over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and
the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But
the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of
great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David
a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a
sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a
manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,
praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his
favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said
to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So
they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was
lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word
concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard
it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured
up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had
heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
