Day 53 – The Birth of Jesus

₁At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ₂When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. ₃Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own town.

₄Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. ₅He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, ₆and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. ₇She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger — there was no room for them to stay in the inn.

₈There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. ₉An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, ₁₀but the angel said to them, “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. ₁₁This very day in David's town your Saviour was born — Christ the Lord! ₁₂And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”

₁₃Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

₁₅When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”

₁₆So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger. ₁₇When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child. ₁₈All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said. ₁₉Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them. ₂₀The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.

₂₁A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.

₂₂The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, ₂₃as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male is to be dedicated to the Lord.” ₂₄They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.

₂₅At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him ₂₆and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's promised Messiah. ₂₇Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required, ₂₈Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:

₃₃The child's father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him. ₃₄Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against ₃₅and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.”

_36-37There was a very old prophet, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now 84 years old. She never left the Temple; day and night she worshipped God, fasting and praying. ₃₈That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.

₃₉When Joseph and Mary had finished doing all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their home town of Nazareth in Galilee. ₄₀The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God's blessings were upon him.