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¹ NOW it was in those days that there went forth a mandate from Augustus Caesar to enrol the people of his dominion.² This enrolment was first made under the government of Qurinos in Suria.³ And every man went to be enrolled in his city.⁴ And Jauseph also went up from Natsrath of Galila, unto Jehud, to the city of David, which is called Beth-lechem, because he was of the house and of the family of David,⁵ with Mariam his espoused while with child, there to be enrolled.⁶ And it was that while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should give birth:⁷ and she brought forth her son, the first-born, and wrapped him in bandages, and laid him in the manger; because there was no place for them where they stayed.

⁸ But there were shepherds in the country who were staying there, and keeping watch by night over their flocks.⁹ And, behold, the angel of Aloha came to them, and the glory of the Lord shone upon them; and they feared with great fear.¹⁰ And the angel said to them, Fear not; for, behold, I announce to you great joy, which shall be to all people:¹¹ for there is born for you to-day the Redeemer, who is the Lord the Meshicha, in the city of David.¹² And this is to you the sign, You shall find the infant wrapped in bandages, and laid in a manger.¹³ And instantly there were seen with the angel many hosts of the heavens, glorifying Aloha,¹⁴ and saying, Glory to Aloha in the heights, and upon earth peace and good hope for the sons of men.¹⁵ And when the angels were gone from them into heaven, the shepherds spake one with another, and said, Let us go unto Beth-lechem, and see the thing which the Lord hath made known to us.¹⁶ And they came with speed, and found Mariam, and Jauseph, and the infant who was laid in the manger;¹⁷ and when they saw, they showed the word which had been spoken to them concerning the child.¹⁸ And all who heard wondered at those (things) which were told them by the shepherds.¹⁹ But Mariam kept all these words, and compared them in her heart.²⁰ And those shepherds returned, glorifying and praising Aloha for all that they had seen and heard as they had been spoken to them.

²¹ AND when the eight days completed to circumcise the child, his name was called Jeshu, for he was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb²² And when were completed, the days of their purification according to the law of Musha, they carried him up to Urishlem, to present him [fn] before the Lord: ²³ (as it is written in the law of the Lord, That every male [fn] openeth the matrix the holy to the Lord shall be called :) ²⁴ and to offer the sacrifice as it is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle-doves, or two of the young of pigeons.

²⁵ But there was a certain man in Urishlem, whose name was Shemun; and this man was just and righteous, and he had waited for the consolation of Isroel, and the Spirit of Holiness was upon him.²⁶ And it was said to him from the Spirit of Holiness, that he should not see death, until he had seen the Meshicha of the Lord.²⁷ Behold, this man came in the Spirit to the temple, and when his parents [fn] brought in Jeshu the child, to do for him as it is commanded in the law, ²⁸ he took him upon his arms and blessed Aloha, and said,²⁹ Now dismiss thy servant, my Lord, according to thy word, in peace;³⁰ For lo, mine eyes have seen thy grace,³¹ Which thou hast prepared in the face of all the nations;³² A light for the revelation of the peoples, And the glory of thy people Isroel.³³ But Jauseph and his mother wondered at these words which were spoken concerning him.³⁴ And Shemun blessed them, and said to Mariam his mother, Behold, this child is set for the ruin and uprising of many in Isroel, for the sign of contention.³⁵ And through thine own soul shall pass a spear, that may be revealed the reasonings of the hearts of many.³⁶ NOW Chana, [fn] the prophetess, (was) the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was aged also in her days, and seven years with her husband had lived from her virginity. ³⁷ And she was a widow as of years eighty and four, and she removed not from the temple, and with fasting and with prayer she worshipped [fn] in the day and in the night. ³⁸ And she also arose in that hour and confessed [fn] the Lord, and discoursed concerning him with all who were expecting the redemption of Urishlem. ³⁹ And when they had fulfilled every thing according to the law of the Lord, they returned unto Galila, to Natsrath their city.⁴⁰ But the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit, and was filled with wisdom; and the grace of Aloha was upon him.

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