The Birth of Jesus from the Gospel of St. Matthew

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The following is the birth of Jesus as recorded in Chapter 1 of the Gospel of St. Matthew. (Source: "The New American Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, pages 1049)

The Birth of Jesus. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph her husband, an upright man unwilling to expose her to the law, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream and said to him: "Joseph, son of David, have no fear about taking Mary as your wife. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. She is to have a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins." All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

"The virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son, and they shall call him Emmanuel,"

a name which means "God is with us." When Joseph awoke he did as the angel of the Lord had directed him and received her into his home as his wife. He had no relationships with her at any time before she bore a son, whom he named Jesus.