⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.^[a]

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:^{(A) 11} to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah,^[b] the Lord.^{(B) 12} This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”^{(C) 13} And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,^[c] praising God and saying,^(D)

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, ¹⁹ and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.^{(F) 20} The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.^(G)

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.^{(A) 42} And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. ⁴³ When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents were unaware of this. ⁴⁴ Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.^{(B) 48} When his parents^[a] saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.”^{(C) 49} He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”^{[b](D) 50} But they did not understand what he said to them.^{(E) 51} Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them, and his mother treasured all these things in her heart.^(F)

⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years^[c] and in divine and human favor.^(G)