Birth of Jesus
2 1At that time the emperor issued a decree for a census of the whole empire to be taken. 2This first census was taken while Quirinus was governor of Syria. 3Everyone had to be registered in his own town. So everyone set out for his own city; 4Joseph too set out from Nazareth of Galilee. As he belonged to the family of David, being a descendant of his, he went to Judea to David’s town of Bethlehem 5to be registered with Mary, his wife, who was with child. 6They were in Bethlehem when the time came for her to have her child, 7and she gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in the manger, because there was no place for them in the living room.
 8There were shepherds camping in the countryside, taking turns to watch over their flocks by night. 9Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, with the Glory of the Lord shining around them. As they were terrified, 10the angel said to them: 
—Don’t be afraid; I am here to give you good news, great joy for all the people. 11Today a Savior has been born to you in David’s town; he is the Messiah and the Lord. 12Let this be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
13Suddenly the angel was surrounded by many more heavenly spirits, praising God and saying: 
14—Glory to God in the highest; peace on earth for God is blessing humankind.
15When the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another: 
—Let us go as far as Bethlehem and see what the Lord has made known to us. 
16So they came hurriedly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby lying in the manger. 17On seeing this they related what they had been told about the child, 18and all were astonished on hearing the shepherds. 19As for Mary, she treasured all these messages and continually pondered over them. 20The shepherds then returned giving glory and praise to God for all they had heard and seen, just as the angels had told them.

THE CONCISE BIBLE
Christian Community Bible 
Catholic Pastoral Edition

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Originally published by
Ediciones Mensajero, Spain