THE NATIVITY OF THE MESSIAH

18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engagedF to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit.o 19 So her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man,p and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.q

20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.r 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus,s because he will save his people from their sins.”t

22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

23 See, the virgin will become pregnant

and give birth to a son,

and they will name him Immanuel,G

which is translated “God is with us.”u