New Testament in a Year
The Birth of Jesus
2 At that time, Augustus Caesar sent an ·order [decree] that all people in the ·countries under Roman rule [empire; Roman world] must ·list their names in a register [register for taxation]. 2 ·This was the first registration; it was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria [or This was the first census while Quirinius was governor of Syria; or This census occurred before Quirinius was governor of Syria]. 3 And all went to their own towns to be registered.
4 So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, known as the town of David [C Bethlehem was David’s hometown]. Joseph went there because he was from the ·family [L house and family line] of David. 5 Joseph registered with Mary, to whom he was ·engaged [pledged to be married; see 1:27] and who was now pregnant. 6 While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby, 7 and she gave birth to her first son. She wrapped the baby ·with pieces of cloth [in cloths; T in swaddling clothes] and laid him in a ·feeding trough [T manger], because there ·were no rooms [was no space/room] left in the ·inn [or guest room (of a private residence); or caravan shelter].
Shepherds Hear About Jesus
8 ·That night [L At night], some shepherds were [living out] in the fields ·nearby [L in that region/place] watching their ·sheep [L flock]. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord ·was shining around [surrounded] them, and they became very frightened. 10 The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. [L …for/because] I am bringing you good news that will ·be a [or bring] great joy to all the people. 11 Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is ·Christ [the Messiah], the Lord. 12 This ·is how you will know him [will be the sign for you]: You will find a baby wrapped in ·pieces of cloth [cloths; T swaddling clothes] and lying in a ·feeding trough [T manger].”
13 ·Then [L And suddenly] a ·very large group [or great army] of angels from heaven ·joined [appeared with] the first angel, praising God and saying:
14 “Give glory to God in ·heaven [the highest place/heaven],
and on earth let there be peace among the people ·who please God [or he favors; L of his pleasure/approval].”[a]
15 When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in a ·feeding trough [T manger]. 17 When they had seen him, they ·told [spread the word about; let people know] what the angels had said about this child. 18 Everyone [L who heard] ·was amazed [wondered; marveled] at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary ·treasured [kept; preserved] these things and ·continued to think about them [L pondered/considered them in her heart]. 20 Then the shepherds went back to their sheep, ·praising [glorifying] God and ·thanking [praising] him for everything they had seen and heard. It had been just as the angel had told them.
21 When ·the baby was eight days old [L eight days were fulfilled; Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3], he was circumcised [1:59] and was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before ·the baby began to grow inside Mary [L he was conceived in the womb].
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
22 When the ·time came [L days were fulfilled] for ·Mary and Joseph to do what the law of Moses taught about being made pure [L their purification according the law of Moses; C an animal sacrifice and ritual cleansing forty days after the birth of a son; see Lev. 12:2–8], they took Jesus [L up] to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 ([L Just as] It is written in the law of the Lord: “Every ·firstborn male [L male who opens the womb; C an idiom for a firstborn] shall be ·given [set apart; consecrated; L called holy] to the Lord” [Ex. 13:2].) 24 Mary and Joseph also went to offer a sacrifice, as the law of the Lord says: “You must sacrifice two ·doves [or turtledoves] or two young pigeons [Lev. 5:11; 12:8].”
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