Book of Common Prayer

¹⁸ The birth of Jesus Christ was this way: When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came to dwell together, she was found with child by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Then Joseph her husband, being an upright man, and loathe to make an example of her, was minded to put her away quietly. ²⁰ While he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph son of David, fear not to take unto you Mary your wife. For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. For he will save his people from their sins.

²² All this was done to fulfil that which was spoken about the Lord by the prophet, saying, ²³ Behold, a maiden shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which is by interpretation, God with us.

²⁴ And Joseph, as soon as he awoke out of sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bid him and took his wife unto him, ²⁵ and knew her not till she had brought forth her first son, and called his name Jesus.

¹⁴ For this I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ who is Father over all that is called father in heaven and in earth. ¹⁶ I pray that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ and that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, so that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is that breadth and length, depth and height, ¹⁹ and to know what is the love of Christ, which love passes knowledge; that you might be filled with every kind of fullness that comes of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think by the power that works in us, ²¹ be praise in the congregation by Jesus Christ throughout all generations, world without end.

Amen.