Matthew 1:18-25 - The Birth Of Jesus Christ

¹⁸ Now the birth of Christ happened this way: When His mother Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, [but] before they had a sexual relationship, she was discovered to be pregnant by [the power of] the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Now Joseph, her husband [to be], being a man who did what was right, and not wanting to make a public spectacle out of her, decided to break off their engagement privately.

²⁰ But while he was thinking about the matter, [suddenly] an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream [i.e., a supernatural revelation given during sleep], saying, "Joseph, you descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife, for the baby she is carrying is by [the power of] the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She is going to have a son and you should name Him Jesus, for He is the One who will save His people from their sins."

²² Now all this happened in order to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet [Isaiah 7:14], saying,

²³ "Look, the virgin will become pregnant and have a son, and they will name Him Immanuel," which means "God with us."

²⁴ Then Joseph woke up from his sleep and did what the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary to be his wife. ²⁵ [But] he did not have sexual relations with her until [after] she had a son, whom he named Jesus.

¹ Now it happened in those days that a decree was sent out from Caesar Augustus [the Emperor of the Roman Empire] requiring [people from] the whole empire to be registered [i.e., for taxation purposes]. ² This was the first registration made while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And everyone went to register in his own home town.

⁴ So, Joseph also went from the Galilean town of Nazareth to David's town, which was the Judean town of Bethlehem, because he was among the descendants and family of David. ⁵ [He went] to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him and who was pregnant [at the time]. ⁶ And it happened while they were there that the due date came for her to have the baby. ⁷ So, she bore her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in [linen] cloths and laid Him in an animal's feeding trough because there was no room for them in the lodge.