The Birth of Jesus Christ

2 In those days ^(A)a decree went out from ^(B)Caesar Augustus that all the world should be ^(C)registered. ² This was the first ^(D)registration when^[a] Quirinius ^(E)was governor of Syria. ³ And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up ^(F)from Galilee, from the town of ^(G)Nazareth, to Judea, to ^(H)the city of David, which is called ^(I)Bethlehem, ^(J)because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,^[b] who was with child. ⁶ And ^(K)while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and ^(L)wrapped him in swaddling cloths and ^(M)laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in ^(N)the inn.^[c]

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ^(A)though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

^5 (A)Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,^{[a] 6 (B)}who, though he was in ^(C)the form of God, did not count equality with God ^(D)a thing to be grasped,^{[b] 7} but ^(E)emptied himself, by taking the form of a ^(F)servant,^{[c] (G)}being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by ^(H)becoming obedient to the point of death, ^(I)even death on a cross.