It happened in those days that a decree went out
from Caesar Augustus to have registered all the inhabited world.
This was the first registration when Quirinius governed Syria.
And everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.
And Joseph also went up from the town Nazareth of Galilee
into Judea to the town of David which is called Bethlehem,
because he was from the house and family of David,
to be registered with Mary, his bride, who was pregnant.
And it happened while they were there
that the days were fulfilled for her to give birth,
and she bore her first-born son,
and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes
and laid him in a manger,
because there was no place for them in the inn.
And shepherds were in that country living in the fields
and keeping watch at night over their flock.
And an angel of the Lord came to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were in great awe and fear.
And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid;
for look, I bring you a good message of great joy
which will be for all the people,
for today in the town of David was born to you a savior,
who is Christ the Lord.
And this is a sign for you:
you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host praising God
and saying, "Glory in the highest to God
and on earth peace among people of goodwill."
And it happened as the angels went away from them into heaven
that the shepherds spoke to each other,
"Let us go then to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened which the Lord made known to us."
And they went hurrying,
and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger;
and having seen they made known the saying
spoken to them about this child.
And all who heard marveled at the things
spoken to them by the shepherds;
but Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God
for everything they had heard and seen as it was spoken to them.
Luke 2:1-20