5. Mary was engaged to Joseph and travelled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby,
6. and while they were there,
7. she gave birth to her firstborn son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8. That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep.
9. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened.
10. But the angel said, “Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy.
11. This very day in King David's home town a Saviour was born for you. He is Christ the Lord.
12. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”
13. Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:
14. “Praise God in heaven!Peace on earth to everyonewho pleases God.”
15. After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.”
16. They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.
17. When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him.