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He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”
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Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
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All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
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Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
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“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
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salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—
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to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,
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to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
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in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
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And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
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because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
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And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.
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The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
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(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
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And everyone went to their own town to register.
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So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
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He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
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While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
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and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
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But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
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Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
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This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
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Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
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“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
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When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
