Luke 2:1-8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Birth of Jesus
2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.(A) 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 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.
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- 2.7 Or their room
Luke 2:1-8
Contemporary English Version
The Birth of Jesus
(Matthew 1.18-25)
2 About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books.[a] 2 These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.[b]
3 Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. 4 So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family.
5 Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, 6 and while they were there, 7 she gave birth to her first-born[c] son. She dressed him in baby clothes[d] and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds
8 That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep.
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- 2.1 names … listed in record books: This was done so that everyone could be made to pay taxes to the Emperor.
- 2.2 Quirinius was governor of Syria: It is known that Quirinius made a record of the people in a.d. 6 or 7. But the exact date of the record taking that Luke mentions is not known.
- 2.7 first-born: The Jewish people said that the first-born son in each of their families belonged to the Lord.
- 2.7 dressed him in baby clothes: The Greek text has “wrapped him in wide strips of cloth,” which was how young babies were dressed.
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