Christmas Story
Christmas Day Readings
Luke 1:26-29
[26] Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, [27] to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. [28] Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!” [29] But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
Luke 1:30-33
[30] The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. [31] Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”
Luke 1:34-38
[34] Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” [35] The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. [36] Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. [37] For nothing spoken by God is impossible.” [38] Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Luke 2:1-7
[1] Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. [2] This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [3] All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. [4] Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, [5] to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. [6] While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. [7] She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:8-14
[8] There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. [9] Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. [10] The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. [11] For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” [13] Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying, [14] “Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Luke 2:15-20
[15] When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” [16] They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. [17] When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. [18] All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. [19] But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. [20] The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
Matthew 2:1-6
[1] Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, [2] “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” [3] When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. [4] Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. [5] They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet, [6] ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are in no way least among the princes of Judah;
for out of you shall come a governor
who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”
Matthew 2:7-12
[7] Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. [8] He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.” [9] They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. [11] They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. [12] Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
Matthew 2:13-18
[13] Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” [14] He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, [15] and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” [16] Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. [17] Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, [18] “A voice was heard in Ramah,
lamentation, weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she wouldn’t be comforted,
because they are no more.”
(Scripture taken from the World English Bible.)
