Luke 1:67-2:11

New International Version

Zechariah’s Song

⁶⁷His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit^(A) and prophesied:^(B)

⁶⁸“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,^(C)
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.^(D)
⁶⁹He has raised up a horn^[a]^(E) of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David^(F)
⁷⁰(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),^(G)
⁷¹salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us—
⁷²to show mercy to our ancestors^(H)
    and to remember his holy covenant,^(I)
⁷³    the oath he swore to our father Abraham:^(J)
⁷⁴to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve him^(K) without fear^(L)
⁷⁵    in holiness and righteousness^(M) before him all our days.

⁷⁶And you, my child, will be called a prophet^(N) of the Most High;^(O)
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,^(P)
⁷⁷to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,^(Q)
⁷⁸because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun^(R) will come to us from heaven
⁷⁹to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,^(S)
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”^(T)

⁸⁰And the child grew and became strong in spirit^[b];^(U) and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus^(V) issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.^(W) ²(This was the first census that took place while^[c] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)^(X) ³And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem^(Y) the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him^(Z) and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel^(AA) of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.^(AB) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior^(AC) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,^(AD) the Lord.^(AE)