2In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus ^y^zthat the whole empire ^ashould be registered. ²This first registration took place while ^bQuirinius was governing Syria. ^c³So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

⁴And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth ^din Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, ^ebecause he was of the house and family line of David, ^f⁵to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him ^gand was pregnant. ⁶While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. ⁹Then an angel of the Lord ^hstood before ⁱthem, ^jand the glory of the Lord ^kshone around them, and they were terrified. ^l¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, ^mfor look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: ⁿ¹¹Today a Savior, ^owho is Messiah ^pthe Lord, ^qwas born for you in the city of David. ¹²This will be the sign for you: ^rYou will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

¹³Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

¹⁴Glory to God in the highest heaven, ^s

and peace on earth ^tto people He favors! ^u^v^w

¹⁵When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

¹⁶They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. ¹⁷After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed ^xat what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary was treasuring up all these things ^yin her heart ^zand meditating on them. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God ^afor all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.

Read in Logos

Luke 2:11: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Footnotes

y2:1 Emperor who ruled the Roman Empire 27 b.c.–a.d. 14; also known as Octavian, he established the peaceful era known as the Pax Romana; Caesar was a title of Roman emperors.
a2:1 Or the whole inhabited world
b2:2 Or This registration was the first while, or This registration was before
g2:5 Other read was his engaged wife
i2:9 Or Lord appeared to
l2:9 they feared a great fear
n2:10 Or the whole nation
u2:14 Other read earth good will to people
v2:14 Or earth to men of good will
y2:19 these words

Cross references

z2:1 Mt 22:17; Lk 3:1
c2:2 Mt 4:24
d2:4 Mt 2:23; 4:13; 21:11; Jn 1:45
e2:4 Gn 35:19; 48:7; Jos 19:15; Jdg 12:10; 17:7–9; Rt 1:1; 1Sm 16:1; Mc 5:2
f2:4 Lk 1:27
h2:9 Mt 1:20; 2:13, 19; 28:2; Lk 1:11; Ac 5:19; 8:26; 12:7; 12:23
j2:9 Lk 24:4; Ac 12:7
k2:9 Ex 24:16; 40:34–35; Lv 9:6, 23; Nm 20:6; 1Kg 8:11; Is 35:2; 40:5; 60:1
m2:10 Mt 14:27
o2:11 Mt 1:21; Jn 4:42; Ac 5:31
p2:11 Mt 1:16; 16:16, 20; Jn 11:27
q2:11 Lk 1:43; Ac 2:36; 10:36
r2:12 1Sm 2:34; 2Kg 19:29; 20:8–9; Is 7:11, 14
s2:14 Mt 21:9; Lk 19:38
t2:14 Lk 12:51
w2:14 Lk 3:22; Eph 1:9; Php 2:13
x2:18 Lk 1:63; 2:33; 4:22; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14, 38; 20:26; 24:12, 41
z2:19 Lk 2:51
a2:20 Mt 9:8