The Birth of Jesus Christ

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together,12 she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 1:19 Because Joseph, her husband to be,13 was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her14 privately. 1:20 When he had contemplated this, an15 angel of the Lord16 appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 1:21 She will give birth to a son and you will name him17 Jesus,18 because he will save his people from their sins.” 1:22 This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him19 Emmanuel,”20 which means21 “God with us.”22 1:24 When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what the angel of the Lord23 told him. He took his wife, 1:25 but did not have marital relations24 with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named25 Jesus.