Book of Common Prayer

¹¹ Then I saw heaven open, and I saw a white horse! The One who rode him is called `One who can be Trusted' and `The True One'. He punishes and makes war in the right way.

¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire. On his head were many crowns. He had a name written on him, but no man knew what it was but he himself.

¹³ He wore clothes that had been dipped in blood. His name is `The Word of God'.

¹⁴ The armies of heaven followed him on white horses and they were dressed in fine linen, shining and clean.

¹⁵ A long knife or sword comes from his mouth. With it he will punish and control the people of the nations. He will rule them with an iron stick. He is like the winepress that presses the water out of the fruit. It is the place where God, who has all power, shows his great anger.

¹⁶ A name is written on his clothes and on his leg: it is King of kings, and Lord of lords.

¹⁸ This is the way Jesus Christ was born. Mary, his mother, was promised to Joseph to be his wife. But before they were married, she found out that she was going to have a baby. It was by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁹ Joseph, the man she was to marry, was a good man. He did not want her to be made ashamed. So he planned to leave her without telling people about it.

²⁰ While he was thinking about this, he had a dream. An angel of the Lord came to him. He said, `Joseph, David's son, do not fear to take Mary to be your wife. Her baby is by the Holy Spirit.

²¹ She will have a baby son. Name him Jesus, because he will save his people from the wrong things they have done.'

²² All of this had been told long before by the Lord through his prophet. It came true.

²³ The prophet said, `A young woman who has not slept with a man is going to have a baby son. His name will be Emmanuel. That means "God is with us." '

²⁴ Joseph woke up and did what the angel of the Lord told him to do. He took Mary to be his wife.

²⁵ But he did not make love with her until her first son had been born. He named him Jesus.