Matthew 1:18-25

Living Bible

¹⁸ These are the facts concerning the birth of Jesus Christ: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Then Joseph, her fiancé,^[a] being a man of stern principle, decided to break the engagement but to do it quietly, as he didn’t want to publicly disgrace her.

²⁰ As he lay awake^[b] considering this, he fell into a dream, and saw an angel standing beside him. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will have a Son, and you shall name him Jesus (meaning ‘Savior’), for he will save his people from their sins. ²² This will fulfill God’s message through his prophets—

²³ ‘Listen! The virgin shall conceive a child! She shall give birth to a Son, and he shall be called “Emmanuel” (meaning “God is with us”).’”

²⁴ When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel commanded and brought Mary home to be his wife, ²⁵ but she remained a virgin until her Son was born; and Joseph named him “Jesus.”