¹When Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they were married, an angel appeared to Mary and told her she would conceive a child. ²“How can this be,” replied Mary, “for I do not know man.”

³And the angel told Mary that she would conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit.

⁴At that time a census was taken, so Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, because he was of the house of King David.

⁵And while they were there the time came for her baby to be born. ⁶And she gave birth to her child, a son, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room at the inn.

⁷About that time, some wise men arrived from the East.

⁸“Where is the newborn King of the Jews?” they asked. “We saw his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.” ⁹King Herod was greatly disturbed by this.

¹⁰The wise men followed the star as it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹¹When they entered the house and saw the child, they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹²They had been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they left in secret.

¹³Herod was furious when he realized the wise men had outwitted him. ¹⁴He sent soldiers out to kill all the young men in his kingdom.

Merry Christmas, everyone!