THE STORIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

34. The Savior is Born

A young woman lived in the city Nazareth, Galilee. Her name was Mary. She was engaged to marry a carpenter named Joseph. Mary was still a virgin. One day Mary was tending her chores when she heard a voice.

"Don't be afraid, Mary. I am the Angel Gabriel who stands in the presence of God," the angel said. "You have been favored by the Lord. You will soon have a child who will be called Jesus. He will be the great Savior whom everyone has waited for. He will sit on the throne of David in the house of Jacob, and his kingdom will last forever."

"How can that be?" Mary asked. "I am not married."

"The Holy Spirit will come over you, and the power of God will cause this to happen. This child will be the Son of God."

Mary told the angel that she was God's servant and would do whatever He asked of her. After the angel left her, she thought about all the amazing things he had told her.

Right before Mary's baby was due, she and Joseph received word that the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, was ordering people to return to their hometown. There they would be counted in a census and made to pay a tax to the emperor.

Joseph was a descendant of King David. David had been young woman lived in the city Nazareth, Galilee. Her name was Mary. She was engaged to marry a born in a town called Bethlehem. It was a week's journey from Nazareth. Joseph knew that Mary should not be traveling in her condition, but he had no choice.

Once they reached Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph went to an inn to get a room for the night. They found that the inn was already full because so many people had come into town for the census.

The only shelter that was still available was in a barn-like place where animals were kept. It wasn't a very pleasant place, but it was better than sleeping in the streets.

During the night, Mary gave birth to a son. She wrapped him up warmly, and since there was no bed to lay him in, she fixed a place for him to sleep in the manger.

Some shepherds stayed out in the fields that night, looking after their sheep. An angel of God appeared above them in the sky. The whole sky lit up with the glory of God. The shepherds were very frightened by what they saw.

"Don't be afraid," the angel said. "I bring you good news that will bring joy to all of God's people. Today the Savior was born in the city of Bethlehem. You will find him wrapped up in warm clothes and lying in a manger."

Suddenly the sky was filled with many angels singing praises to God.

"Glory to God in the highest," they sang. "And on earth let there be peace and good will toward everyone."

Then the angels went back up to heaven. The shepherds took off in a big hurry and searched the city until they found Mary and Joseph and the baby. Once they had seen the child, they started telling everyone about the baby and all that the angels had said about him.

Mary thought about what the shepherds had told her, but she kept her feelings to herself.

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