₁At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ₂When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. ₃Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own town.

₄Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. ₅He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, ₆and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. ₇She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger — there was no room for them to stay in the inn.

₈There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. ₉An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, ₁₀but the angel said to them, “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. ₁₁This very day in David's town your Saviour was born — Christ the Lord! ₁₂And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”

₁₃Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

₁₅When the angels went away from them back 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.”

₁₆So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger. ₁₇When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child. ₁₈All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said. ₁₉Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them. ₂₀The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.