The Christmas Story

¹ In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ And everyone went to register, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family line of David. ⁵ He went to be registered with Mary, his wife,^[a] who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.
⁶ And so it was that while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
⁸ There were in the same country shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified! ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: ¹¹ Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ^[b] the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude from the heavenly army, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.”^[c]
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Now let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they told others the message they had been told about this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:1-18 EHV)