The birth of Jesus and visit of the shepherds - Luke 2:1-21 - N. T. -

Now at this time Caesar Augustus issued a issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census - the first - took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

While they were there the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them st the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, 'Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people.

Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing:

                                     'Glory to God in the highest heaven,
                                     and peace to men who enjoy his favour'.

Now when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go to Bethlehem, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us'. So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.

Cf. - Matthew 2:1 - N. T. - After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of king Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east.

Cf. - 1 Samuel 16:1-13 - O. T. - Yahweh said to Samuel, 'How long will you go on mourning over Saul when I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.' Samuel replied, 'How can I go? When Saul hears of it he will kill me'. Then Yahweh said, 'Take a heifer with you and say, "I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh". Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and then I myself will tell you what you must do; you must anoint to me the one I point out to you.'

Samuel did what Yahweh ordered and went to Bethlehem. The elders oft he town came trembling to meet him and asked, 'Seer, have you come with good intentions towards us? 'Yes,' he replied 'I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.' He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they arrived, he caught sight of Eliab and thought, 'Surely Yahweh's anointed one stands there before him', but Yahweh said to Samuel. 'Take no notice of his appearance or his height for I have rejected him; God does not see as man sees; man looks at appearances but Yahweh looks at the heart'.

Jesse then called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, 'Yahweh has not chosen this one either'. Jesse then presented Shammah, but Samuel said, 'Yahweh has not chosen this one either'. Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, 'Yahweh has not chosen these'. He then asked Jesse, 'Are these all the sons you have?' He answered. 'There is still one left, the youngest; he is out looking after the sheep'. Then Samuel said to Jesse, 'Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes'. Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. Yahweh said, 'Come, anoint him, for this is the one'. At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit of Yahweh seized on David and stayed with him from that day on. As for Samuel, he rose and went to Ramah.

Cf. - John 7:42 - N. T. - Does not Sacred Scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from the town of Bethlehem?

Cf. - Matthew 1:18 - N. T. - This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

Cf. - Matthew 1:25 - N. T. - Joseph took his wife to his home and, though he had not had intercourse with her, she gave birth to a son; and he named him Jesus.

Cf. - Exodus 24:16-18 - O. T. - The cloud covered the mountain, and the glory of Yahweh settled on the mountain of Sinai; for six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day Yahweh called to Moses from inside the cloud. to the eyes of the sons of Israel the glory of Yahweh seemed like a devouring fire on the mountain top. Moses went right into the cloud. He went up the mountain, and stayed there for forty days and forty nights.

Cf. - Tobit 5:4-5 - O. T. - And now, my child, find some trustworthy man to travel with you - we will pay him for his time until you arrive back - and then go and collect the money from Gabael. Tobias went out to look for a man who knew the way to go with him to Media. Outside he found Raphael the angel standing facing him (though he did not guess he was an angel of God).

Cf. - Matthew 1:19-20 - N. T. - After Herod's death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said. 'Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.

Cf. - Luke 1:12-16 -

Cf. - Matthew 1:18-22 - N. T. - This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the 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 she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.' Now all this took place to fulfill the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet.

Cf. - Isaiah 9:5-6 - O. T. - For there is a child born for us, and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him: Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.

Cf. - Luke 19:38 -

Cf. - Ezekiel 3:12 - O. T. - The spirit lifted me up, and behind me I could hear a tumultuous shouting, 'Blessed be the glory of Yahweh in his dwelling place.'

Cf. - Isaiah 1:3 - O. T. - The ox knows its owner and the ass its master's crib, Israel knows nothing, my people understands nothing.

Cf. - Luke 2:51 -

Cf. - Genesis 37:11 - O. T. - His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the thing in mind.

Cf. - Luke 1:64; 2:28, 38; 5:26; 7:16; 13:13 -

The circumcision of Jesus - Luke 2:21 - N. T. -

When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

Cf. - Luke 1:59 -

Cf. - Leviticus 12:3 - O. T. - On the eighth day the child's foreskin must be circumcised. 

Cf. - Luke 1:31 - 

Cf. - Matthew 1:21-23 - N. T. - She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins. Now all this took place to fulfill the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
                                          The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son                                                                                        and they will call him Immanuel,
a name which means 'God-is-with-us'.

                                                         - PAGE  6 -

                                                       
Jesus is presented in the Temple

And when the day came for them to be........ PAGE  7

WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. - Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, and the fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Hence, these two books (The Gospel According To Apostle/Saint Luke & The Acts Of The Apostles) of the New Testament were closely associated, and being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity'. Therefore, I faithfully believe that it is utmost important for us; all human beings to comprehend these two books, [ All the others Old Testament and New Testament books are equally important, but as for now, we will start studying and read these two books first, that is, being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity', before continuing the other books.] to the best of our knowledge and enabling our spirit to acknowledges: "Who is God, and how, and in what ways, that is, God is with us." Amen! 

When Sacred Scripture says: those who believe in him will have no cause for shame, it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: all belong to the same Lord, Jesus Christ, who is rich enough, however many ask his help, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But they will not ask for his help unless they believe in him, and they will not believe in him unless they heard of him, and they will not hear of him unless they get a preacher, and they will never have a preacher unless one is sent, but as Sacred Scripture say: The footsteps of those who bring good news is a welcome sound.

Not everyone, of course, listens to the Good News. As prophet Isaiah says: Lord, how many believed what we proclaimed? So faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of Christ Jesus. [ 'Word of God' ] - Romans 10:11-17 -

How? And in what way, when it come to understanding matters: What I was always being told is: There are ways and preferences to comprehend all matters, whether it is of spirituality and unspirituality.

Firstly, in a literally manner: That is, used for emphasis or to express strong feeling while not being literally true.

Secondly, in a humanly manner: That is, from a human point of view, in a humanly manner, by human means; within ability; with human feeling or kindness.

Thirdly, in a spiritually manner: That is, in a way that relates to or affects the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.

Finally, in an unspiritual manner: That is, not spiritual. But secular and worldly.

Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

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It is to the Lord Jesus Christ that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name. - Acts 10:43 -

It is true, God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the Good News of peace was brought by Jesus Christ - But Jesus Christ is Lord of all men. - Acts 10:36 -