✝️ New Testament
The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2:1–20
When the Roman emperor Augustus ordered a census, every person had to travel to their home city to be registered. Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the city of David — a long, hard journey while Mary was heavily pregnant. When they arrived, there was no room for them in any inn.
They found shelter in a stable — a place for animals. And there, among the straw and the animals, Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God. She wrapped Him in cloth and laid Him in a manger, a feeding trough. The Creator of the universe entered His creation as a tiny, vulnerable baby.
That same night, shepherds in the nearby fields received an astonishing visit. An angel blazed with light and announced the news: "Do not be afraid! I bring you good news of great joy for all people. Today in the City of David, a Savior has been born — He is Christ the Lord." The whole sky filled with angels praising God. The shepherds rushed to Bethlehem and found everything exactly as the angel had said. They returned glorifying God. The Coptic Church celebrates the Nativity with great joy, because God became one of us — sharing our human life so that we could share His divine life.