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

¹⁸ The birth of Jesus Christ took place as follows:--His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but, before the marriage took place, she found herself to be with child by the power of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Her husband, Joseph, was a religious man and, being unwilling to expose her to contempt, resolved to put an end to their betrothal privately.

²⁰ He had been dwelling upon this, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary for your wife, for her child has been conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She shall give birth to a son; and you shall give him the name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."

²² All this happened in fulfillment of these words of the Lord in the Prophet, where he says--

²³ 'Behold! the virgin shall be with child and shall give birth to a son, And they will give him the name Immanuel'--a word which means 'God is with us.'

²⁴ When Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had directed him. ²⁵ He made Mary his wife, but did not live with her as her husband until after the birth of her son; and to this son he gave the name Jesus.

¹ About that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire. ² (This was the first census taken while Quirinius was Governor of Syria). ³ And every one went to his own town to be registered.

⁴ Among others Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem, the town of David, in Judea--because he belonged to the family and house of David-- ⁵ To be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was about to become a mother. ⁶ While they were there her time came, ⁷ And she gave birth to her first child, a son. And because there was no room for them in the inn, she swathed him round and laid him in a manger.