God sent the angel Gabriel to see Mary, who said to her

上帝差派天使加百列來到馬利亞的面前並告訴她

"Greetings, the Lord is with you."

「願妳平安，上帝與妳同在。」

"Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God."

「馬利亞，不要害怕， 妳在神的面前已經蒙恩了。」

"You will be with child and give birth to a son

「妳要懷孕生一個兒子

and you are to give him the name Jesus."

要給他取名為耶穌。」

"He will be great and will be called

「他將成為偉大的人物

the son of the most high."

他要被稱為至高上帝的兒子。」

"His kingdom will never end."

「他的國無窮無盡。」

"How will this be," Mary asked "since I am a virgin?"

馬利亞問：「我還沒出嫁，這樣的事怎麼能發生呢？」

The angel answered,

天使回答：

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

「聖靈要降臨到妳身上，

and the power of the most high will overshadow you."

至高上帝的權能要庇蔭妳。」

"For nothing is impossible with God."

「因為在上帝沒有一件事是做不到的」

Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph.

馬利亞先前已經和約瑟訂婚了

Because Joseph was a righteous man,

由於約瑟為人正直

he did not want to expose her to public disgrace.

不願意公開羞辱她。

He had in mind to divorce her quietly.

卻有意要秘密解除婚約。

But an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph

然而天使在夢中向約瑟顯現

in a dream, saying

說：

"Joseph, son of David,

「大衛的後代約瑟，

do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,

不要害怕，儘管娶馬利亞作妻子，

because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit."

因為她懷的孕是從聖靈而來的。」

"She will give birth to a son,

「她將要生一個兒子，

and you are to give him the name, Jesus,

你要給他取名為耶穌，

because he will save his people from their sins."

因為他將拯救他的子民脫離他們的罪。」

When Joseph woke up,

當約瑟醒來以後，

he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him

就遵照天使吩咐他的去做

and took Mary home as his wife.

跟馬利亞成婚。

In those days, Cesar Agustus issued a decree

那時候，羅馬皇帝凱薩奧古斯頒佈了一項命令，

that a census should be taken over the entire Roman world

要羅馬帝國的人民都辦理戶口登記

and everyone went to his own town to register.

於是大家都回本鄉去辦理登記。

Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to register.

約瑟和馬利亞則到伯利恆辦理登記。

Because there was no room for them in the inn,

由於客棧裡的房間都滿了，

the innkeeper let them stay in a stable.

客棧的主人安排約瑟和馬利亞待在馬房裡。

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born.

當他們在那裡的時候，孩子出生了。

Mary wrapped baby Jesus in cloths

馬利亞用布把耶穌包起來

and placed him in the manger.

並將他臥在馬槽裡。

At this time, there were shepherds living out in the fields

在同個時候，有些牧羊人在附近夜間露宿，

nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

輪流看守羊群。

An angel of the Lord appeared to them,

有一位天使向他們顯現，

and the Glory of the Lord shone all around them,

主的榮光四面照射他們，

and they were terrified.

他們就非常驚惶。

But the angel said to them,

但天使跟他們說，

"Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy

「不要害怕，我有好消息告訴你們

that will be for all the people."

這消息要帶給萬民極大的喜樂。」

"Today in the town of David, a savior has been born to you."

「今天，在大衛的城裏，一位拯救者已經誕生了。」

"He is Christ the Lord."

「他就是主基督。」

"This will be a sign to you. You will find the baby

「你們會看見一個嬰兒，用布包著

wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

躺在馬槽裏；那就是要給你們的記號。」

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host

忽然，有一大隊天軍跟那天使一起出現

appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

頌讚上帝說：

"Glory to God in the highest!"

「願榮耀歸於至高之處的上帝！」

And on earth, peace to men on whom his favor rests."

「願和平歸給地上他所喜愛的人！ 」

When the angels left and went to heaven,

天使離開他們回天上去的時候，

the shepherds said to one another,

牧羊人彼此說：

"Let's go to Bethlehem, and see this thing

「我們進伯利恆城去，

that has happened which the Lord has told us about."

看主所告訴我們那已經發生了的事。」

They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph

於是他們急忙趕去，找到了馬利亞、約瑟，

and baby Jesus who was lying in the manger.

和躺在馬槽裏的嬰兒。

When they had seen him, they spread the word

牧羊人看見以後，

concerning what they had been told about this child.

把天使所說關於嬰兒的事告訴大家。

And all who heard it were amazed at what

聽見的人對牧羊人的話

the shepherds said to them.

都感到很驚訝。

Mary treasured up all these things

馬利亞卻把這一切事牢記在心裏，

and pondered them in her heart.

反覆思想。

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem,

耶穌在伯利恆誕生之後，

during the time of King Herod,

希律作王的時候，

Magi from the East came to Jerusalem and asked,

有幾個星象家從東方來到耶路撒冷

"Where is the one who has been born

他們問：「那出生要作猶太人的王

the king of the Jews?"

在哪裏？」

"We saw the star in the East

我們在東方看見了他的星，

and have come to worship him."

特地來朝拜他。」

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed

希律王聽了這話，著急不安

and he called together all the people's chief priests

希律就召集了所有的祭司長

and teachers of the law,

和民間的經學教師

asking them where the Christ was to be born.

問他們：「基督該誕生在甚麼地方？」

"In Bethlehem, in Judea." they replied.

他們回答：「在猶太的伯利恆。」

Herod called the Magi secretly and said to them,

希律暗地裏召見從東方來的星象家然後吩咐他們

"Go to Bethlehem, and make a careful search

你們去到伯利恆，仔細尋找那小孩子

for the child. As soon as you find him,

找著了就來向我報告，

report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

我也好去敬拜他。」

The Magi went on their way,

聽了這話，他們就走了。

and the star went ahead of them

這時候，他們在東方看見的那顆星在前頭引導他們，

until it stopped over the place where the child was.

一直來到小孩子出生地方的上面才停住

On coming to the house, they saw the child

他們進了屋子，看見小孩子

with his mother, Mary.

和他的母親馬利亞，

Overjoyed, they bowed down and worshiped him.

欣喜若狂，就俯伏朝拜這孩子，

They opened their treasures and presented him with

然後打開寶盒，

gifts of gold, of incense, and of myrrh.

拿出黃金、乳香、沒藥等禮物獻給他。

Having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod,

在夢中，上帝指示他們不要回去見希律，

they returned to their country by another route.

於是他們從另一條路回自己的家鄉去。

Jesus grew to be a man,

耶穌之後長大成人，

and later, died on a cross to save us from our sins.

並死在十字架上，為的就是將我們從罪裡拯救出來。