The Nativity of the Messiah

18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been * engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. w 19 So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, x and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. y

20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly 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 by the Holy Spirit. z 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, a b because He will save His people from their sins.” c

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, d

which is translated “God is with us.” e

24 When Joseph got up from sleeping, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her f 25 but did not know her intimately until she gave birth to a son. g And he named Him Jesus. h