Speaker 1: Now, in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent
from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to
a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose
name was Joseph of the House of David. The virgin's
name was Mary. Having come in, the Angel said to her, Rejoice,
highly favored one, the Lord is with you. Blessed are
you among women. But when she saw him, she was
greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of
salutation this might be. The Angel said to her, don't
be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold,
you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son,
and will call his name Jesus. He will be great
and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his
father David, and he will reign over the House of
Jacob forever. There will be no end to his kingdom.
Mary said to the Angel, how can this be, seeing
I am a virgin. The Angel answered her, the Holy
Spirit will come on you, and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, also the Holy One
who is born from you will be called the son
of God. Behold, Elizabeth, your relative also has conceived a
son in her old age, and this is the sixth
month with her who was called Baron. For everything spoken
by God is possible. Mary said, behold the hand made
of the Lord. Be it to me according to your word.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this. For
after his mother, Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they
came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph,
her husband, being a righteous man and not willing to
make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel
of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph,
son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself
Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her
is of the Holy Spirit. She shall bring forth a son.
You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he
who shall save his people from their sins. Now all
this happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
by the Lord through the prophet, saying, behold, the Virgin
shall be with child and shall bring forth a son.
They shall call his name Immanuel, which is being interpreted
God with us. Joseph arose from his sleep and did
as the Angel of the Lord commanded him, and took
his wife to himself, and didn't know her sexually until
she had brought forth her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
Now it happened in those days that a decree went
out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment made when Querinius was governor
of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, every one to
his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out
of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city
of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of
the house and family of David, to enroll himself with Mary,
who was pledged to be married to him as wife
being pregnant. It happened while they were there that the
day had come when she should give birth. She brought
forth her first born son, and she wrapped him in
bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
There were shepherds in the same country, staying in the
field and keeping watch by night. Over their flock. Behold,
an Angel of the Lord stood by them, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
The Angel said to them, don't be afraid, for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy, which will
be to all the people. For there is born to
you this day in the city of David, a savior
who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you.
You will find a baby, wrapped in strips of cloth,
lying in a feeding trough. Suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of heavenly army, praising God and saying
glory to God in the highest on earth, peace good
will toward men. It happened when the angels went away
from them into the sky, that the shepherd said to
one another, let's go to Bethlehem now and see this
thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known
to us. They came with haste and found both Mary
and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the
feeding trough. When they saw it, they publicized widely the
saying which was spoken to them about this child. All
who heard heard it wondered at the things which were
spoken to them by the shepherds, but Mary kept all
these sayings, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they
had heard and seen. Just as it was told them.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. All things were made through him.
Without him, was not anything made. That has been made.
In him was life, and the life was the light
of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness hasn't overcome it. There came a man sent from
God whose name was John. The same came as a
witness that he might testify about the Light, that all
might believe through him. He was not the light, but
was sent that he might testify about the light, the
true light that enlightens every one was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made
through him, and the world didn't recognize him. He came
to his own, and those who were his own didn't
receive him. But as many as received him to them.
He gave the right to become God's children to those
who believe in his name, who were born not of
blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor the
will of man, but of God. The Word became flesh
and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory
as of the one and only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth. John testified about him. He
cried out, saying, this was he of whom I said,
He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he
was before me. From his fullness. We all received grace
upon grace, for the law was given through Moses. Grace
and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has
seen God at any time. The one and only Son,
who is in the bosom of the Father. He has
declared him. This is the end of the true story
of Christmas. Taken from the World English Bible.