(Matthew 1:18-24)
18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His
mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they
came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy
Spirit. 19Because Joseph her husband was a righteous
man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in
mind to divorce her quietly.
20But after he had considered this, an angel of the
Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do
not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will
give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said
through the prophet: 23“The virgin will be with child
and will 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 commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
(Colossians
1:15-20)
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
over all creation. 16For by him all things were
created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things
were created by him and for him. 17He is before all
things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he
is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the
firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have
the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his
fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile
to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in
heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
