An Angel Speaks to Joseph

¹⁸Here is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Then Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to make her a public example, intended to divorce her privately. ²⁰But while he thought about these things, look, the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary, your wife, to yourself, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” ²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." ²²All of this happened to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: ²³"The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" — which means "God with us." ²⁴When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had told him and took Mary as his wife. ²⁵But he did not have marital relations with her until she had given birth to her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.