In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was
the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to
register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David,
because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be
married to him and was expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She
wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the
Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ [1] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You
will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen
him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at
what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as
they had been told.
Luke 2: 1 - 20: New International Version.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to
Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east
and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the
Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out
of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people
Israel."
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent
them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to
me, so that I too may go and worship him."
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of
them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On
coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him.
Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having
been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Mathew: Chapter 2.
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