[a](A)The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
(B)You will multiply the nation,
You (C)will [b]increase [c]their joy;
They will rejoice in Your presence
As with the joy [d]of harvest,
As people (D)rejoice when they divide the spoils.
For (E)You will break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their (F)oppressor, as [e]at the battle of (G)Midian.
For every boot of the marching warrior in the roar of battle,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
For a (H)Child will be born to us, a (I)Son will be given to us;
And the (J)government will [f]rest (K)on His shoulders;
And His name will be called (L)Wonderful Counselor, (M)Mighty God,
Eternal (N)Father, Prince of (O)Peace.
There will be (P)no end to the increase of His government or of peace
On the (Q)throne of David and over [g]his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with (R)justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
(S)The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 9:2 Ch 9:1 in Heb
  2. Isaiah 9:3 Another reading is not increase
  3. Isaiah 9:3 Lit the
  4. Isaiah 9:3 Lit in
  5. Isaiah 9:4 Lit in the day of Midian
  6. Isaiah 9:6 Lit be
  7. Isaiah 9:7 I.e., David’s

The people walking in darkness(A)
    have seen a great light;(B)
on those living in the land of deep darkness(C)
    a light has dawned.(D)
You have enlarged the nation(E)
    and increased their joy;(F)
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.(G)
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,(H)
    you have shattered(I)
the yoke(J) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,(K)
    the rod of their oppressor.(L)
Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,(M)
    will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,(N)
    to us a son is given,(O)
    and the government(P) will be on his shoulders.(Q)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,(R) Mighty God,(S)
    Everlasting(T) Father,(U) Prince of Peace.(V)
Of the greatness of his government(W) and peace(X)
    there will be no end.(Y)
He will reign(Z) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice(AA) and righteousness(AB)
    from that time on and forever.(AC)
The zeal(AD) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

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Conception and Birth of Jesus

18 Now the birth of Jesus the [a]Messiah was as follows: when His (A)mother Mary had been [b]betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was (B)found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to [c](C)send her away secretly. 20 But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “(D)Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for [d]the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a Son; and (E)you shall name Him Jesus, for [e]He (F)will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this [f]took place so that what was (G)spoken by the Lord through [g]the prophet would be fulfilled: 23 (H)Behold, the virgin will [h](I)conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him [i]Immanuel,” which translated means, “(J)God with us.” 24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 [j]but kept her a virgin until she (K)gave birth to a Son; and (L)he named Him Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 1:18 See note v 16
  2. Matthew 1:18 Unlike engagement, a betrothed couple was considered married, but did not yet live together
  3. Matthew 1:19 Or divorce her
  4. Matthew 1:20 Lit that which
  5. Matthew 1:21 Lit He Himself
  6. Matthew 1:22 Lit has happened
  7. Matthew 1:22 I.e., Isaiah
  8. Matthew 1:23 Or be pregnant
  9. Matthew 1:23 Gr Emmanuel
  10. Matthew 1:25 Lit and did not know her intimately

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)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 1:18 Or The origin of Jesus the Messiah was like this
  2. Matthew 1:19 Or was a righteous man and
  3. Matthew 1:21 Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the Lord saves.
  4. Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14