¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby ^(A)lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But ^(B)Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, ^(C)glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

God's Steadfast Love and Compassion

¹⁶ For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes ^(A)an oath is final for confirmation. ¹⁷ So when God desired to show more convincingly to ^(B)the heirs of the promise ^(C)the unchangeable character of his purpose, ^(D)he guaranteed it with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things, in which ^(E)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope ^(F)set before us. ¹⁹ We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into ^(G)the inner place behind the curtain, ²⁰ where Jesus has gone ^(H)as a forerunner on our behalf, ^(I)having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.