2Now it happened that in those days a decree went out from Caesar^a Augustus to register all the empire. ²(This first registration took place when^* Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to be registered, each one to his own town. ⁴So Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, ⁵to be registered together with Mary, who was legally promised in marriage to him and^* was pregnant. ⁶And it happened that while they were there, the time came^b for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸And there were shepherds in the same region, living out of doors and keeping watch, guarding over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened.^c ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people: ¹¹that today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. ¹²And this will be the sign for you: you will find the baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace

among people with whom he is pleased!”^d

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

aOr “the emperor”
*Or perhaps “before”; here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was governor”)
*Here “and” is supplied in keeping with English style
bLiterally “the days were completed”
cLiterally “they were afraid with great fear”
dLiterally “of good pleasure”