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The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. His mother, Mary, was pledged in marriage[a] to Joseph. Before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her. So he decided to divorce her privately. 20 But as he was considering these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because the child 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,[b] because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this happened to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Look, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son. And they will name him Immanuel,”[c] which means, “God with us.”

24 When Joseph woke up from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took Mary home as his wife, 25 but he was not intimate with her until she gave birth to her firstborn son.[d] And he named him Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 1:18 Or betrothed
  2. Matthew 1:21 Jesus means the Lord saves.
  3. Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14
  4. Matthew 1:25 Some witnesses to the text omit her firstborn and simply read she gave birth to a son. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ occurred in this way. His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant[a] by the Holy Spirit. 19 So Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to disgrace her, intended to divorce her secretly. 20 But as[b] he was considering these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will give birth to a son, and you will call his name ‘Jesus,’ because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all this happened in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying,

23 “Behold, the virgin will become pregnant[c] and will give birth to a son,
and they will call his name Emmanuel,”[d]

which is translated, “God with us.”[e] 24 And Joseph, when he[f] woke up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and he took his wife 25 and did not have sexual relations with[g] her until she gave birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 1:18 Literally “to have in the womb”
  2. Matthew 1:20 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“considering”)
  3. Matthew 1:23 Literally “will have in the womb”
  4. Matthew 1:23 A quotation from Isa 7:14
  5. Matthew 1:23 An allusion to Isa 8:8, 10 in the Greek OT (LXX)
  6. Matthew 1:24 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“woke up”) which is understood as temporal
  7. Matthew 1:25 Literally “did not know”