¹⁰ Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹ “Ask the Lord your God for a sign,^(A) whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.^(B)”

¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.^(C)”

¹³ Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David!^(D) Is it not enough^(E) to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience^(F) of my God^(G) also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you^[a] a sign:^(H) The virgin^[b](I) will conceive and give birth to a son,^(J) and^[c] will call him Immanuel.^{[d](K) 15} He will be eating curds^(L) and honey^(M) when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, ¹⁶ for before the boy knows^(N) enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,^(O) the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.^{(P) 17} The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away^(Q) from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.^(R)”

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle^(A) and set apart^(B) for the gospel of God^(C)— ² the gospel he promised beforehand^(D) through his prophets^(E) in the Holy Scriptures^{(F) 3} regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life^[a](G) was a descendant of David,^{(H) 4} and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power^[b](I) by his resurrection from the dead:^(J) Jesus Christ our Lord.^{(K) 5} Through him we received grace^(L) and apostleship to call all the Gentiles^(M) to the obedience that comes from^[c] faith^(N) for his name’s sake. ⁶ And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.^(O)

⁷ To all in Rome who are loved by God^(P) and called to be his holy people:^(Q)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.^(R)

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.^{(A) 19} Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet^[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce^(B) her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel^(C) of the Lord appeared to him in a dream^(D) and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[c](E) because he will save his people from their sins.”^(F)

²² All this took place to fulfill^(G) what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[d](H) (which means “God with us”).

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel^(I) of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.^(J)