Jesus was born

Title ideas:God came to us people [humans] as a baby in order to save us people from our sins [and from our shame / from God’s anger against people for our rebellion].How Jesus was born. How God became a man.

Many many [About 2700] years ago, a man named Isaiah [Ayzaya] spoke a message from God. He said, “A virgin [young woman who has not had a child] will birth a son.” His name will mean God Is With Us.700 years later, a virgin birthed a son who came from God with no human father.[This is the story about how that happened.]

The Lord [Eternal] God [Creator] sent an angel to speak to a young woman named Mary. She was a virgin. She was engaged [promised] to marry a man named Joseph.

The angel said to her, "Greetings! The Lord [Eternal] God is protecting you and he wants to favor you."

Mary was confused [surprised]! She thought to herself, “What does this message mean that the Eternal God is favoring me? I do not understand these words!”

Then the angel said [to her], "Don’t be afraid, Mary! I have come to tell you that the Eternal God has chosen you for a special task! He will give you strength to do it!”

"You will conceive [become pregnant with] a son [male child]. When you shall have birthed him, you must name him Jesus.

“One day, people will call him the [Most-High] God’s Son. And God will make him become a King, as his ancestor David was a king. He will remain a king forever.”

Mary replied, “But, Sir, how can I conceive a baby? I am still a virgin [I have not been with a man / husband].”

The angel explained [said], “God can do anything [everything]. By his own power [and by his Holy Spirit], God himself will make your baby grow inside of you. One day, people will call your son God’s Son.”

[When the angel finished speaking his words,] Mary agreed, saying, “Yes, I will obey the Eternal God! Yes, I will birth [bear and care for] this child as you have said.”Then the angel left her.

Soon after that, Mary went to visit her relative [cousin-aunt; little mother] Elizabeth in another province. Elizabeth had been barren her entire life, but the Eternal God had caused her to become pregnant recently [six months earlier].

Elizabeth, joyfully greeted Mary [trilling sound] and said [speaking with power from God’s Holy Spirit], "Mary, you are the person whom the Eternal God has chosen for the task that all we women want! You are the person who will birth the baby who will be my Lord [God].”

“All people will certainly honor your son [when he is grown]. And you are blessed because you have believed the word that the Eternal God told you! He will certainly make all those wonderful things/events happen just as he promised to you!”

Mary stayed there with Elizabeth for about three months [while the moon changed three times]. After that, she returned to her home village called Nazareth.

When Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant [going to have a baby], he assumed that Mary had acted immorally [been with another man]. So, he was going to break his engagement [promise to marry] with her. But he wanted to do this quietly [secretly], because he did not want to shame Mary publicly.

While Joseph was considering this, an angel from God appeared to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, do not be afraid to marry Mary [take as your wife], because it is the Eternal God [God’s Holy Spirit / power][not a man] who has caused her to become pregnant.

“Mary will give birth to a son. You must name [call] him Jesus, because he will save people from the result that comes from their sins [evil deeds].” [In their language, the name Jesus means ‘The Lord saves people’.]

When Joseph woke up, he obeyed the angel. He then [formally married Mary and] took Mary home as his wife. But he kept Mary a virgin [he did not have sex with her] until after her son was born.

During those days, while Mary was still pregnant, the king [the top government man] ordered everyone to go to their ancestors’ hometown [parents’ village] [to register] to pay a small tax.

So Joseph took Mary and went from their home village (Nazareth) to Bethlehem town in another province. (Bethlehem was where Joseph’s ancestors had stayed [lived] during hundreds of years.)

After they arrived in Bethlehem [town], the time came for Mary’s baby to be born. The only place for her to give birth was in a livestock stable [pen]. After Mary birthed [pushed out] her baby, she laid him in a livestock food-box as a bed.

That same night, out in the grasslands [fields], an angel from God appeared to some shepherds who were guarding their sheep. Suddenly, A very bright light from God shone all around the shepherds. And they were very afraid!

The angel said, "Do not be afraid! I am telling you very good news [which is] for everyone. Today, God has sent the one who will save people. He was born in Bethlehem [town]. God will make him the ruler [king] of all peoples. Go find [see] the baby lying in a livestock food-box."

After the shepherds heard that [the message from the angel(s)], then they quickly walked [ran] to Bethlehem. There they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby was there lying in an animal food-box.The shepherds told Joseph and Mary (and many others) what the angel had said about the child. And Mary and Joseph were amazed!

After a while, the shepherds returned to their sheep. But Mary remembered all these things [for a long time] and thought about them often.

When the baby was eight days old, Joseph and Mary gave him the name Jesus. [They also had him circumcised.]

About one month [change of moon] after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary carried him to the temple [big worship place] in Jerusalem. There they dedicated [gave] Jesus to the Eternal [Lord] God.

While they were there in the temple, a[n old] man named Simeon approached them.

Simeon was a good man to whom God had promised that he would not die before he saw the Messiah [the One whom God had chosen to save all people].

Simeon held the baby Jesus in his arms and thanked God. He prayed, "O Lord [God], you have kept your promise. Now I can die in peace. With my own eyes, I have seen the one whom you have sent to save [rescue] all peoples!"

After he had prayed, Simeon said to Mary, "When this child is grown to be a man, many Israelites will reject him, but he will save many others. Many people will speak against him, and you yourself will feel much sorrow.”

Mary and Joseph were amazed when they heard those words about the child [and said “amen!].