1. The Birth of the Messiah   基督降生

      Matthew

    This is the story of the birth of the Messiah.  Mary, his mother was betrothed to Joseph; before their marriage she found that she was with child by the Holy spirit.  Being a man of principle, and at the same time wanting to save her from exposure, Joseph desired to have the marriage contract set aside quietly.  He had resolved on this, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.  " Joseph, son of David," said the angel, "do not be afraid to take Mary home with you as your wife.  It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child.  She will bear a son; and you shall give him the name Jesus (Saviour), for he will save his people from their sins."  All this happened in order to fulfil what the Lord declared through the prophet: " The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and he shall be called Emmanuel", a name which means "God is with us".  Rising from sleep Joseph did as the angel had directed him; he took Mary home to be his wife, but had no intercourse with her until her son was born.  And he named the child Jesus.

    When Jesus was born, there were three shepherds outside the bethlehem.  They suddenly saw light from the dark sky and scared.  An angel appeared to tell them: " Don't be scared, I come to bring you a good message.  Today, a lord who will save the world was born in the town.  You should find a baby dressed with cloth in the manger."

    Shepherds asked one another to make sure they all saw the strange image, and they ran into the town.  In the manger, they found the baby as the angel described.  Therefore, shepherds told people the good news of the birth of Jesus everywhere.  Those who heard the news all came to see Jesus.  People carol on Christmas Eve because the story.

馬太福音

    這是耶穌基督降生的故事。他母親馬利亞當時已經許配給約瑟，但還未過門，馬利亞發覺自己從聖靈懷了孕。約瑟是個正直的人，他不想公開羞辱她便打算暗地把婚約解除算了。當他心意已定時，天主的使者在夢中向他顯靈說：「大衛的子孫約瑟，你不用害怕，只管把馬利亞娶入門。她是從聖靈懷的孕。她將生個兒子，你要給他起名叫耶穌 (救世主)，因為他將把自己的人民從罪惡中解救出來。這一切之所以發生，是應驗了天主曾借先知之口講的話：『將有童女懷孕生子，人要稱他為以馬內。』這名字意思就是『上帝與我們同在』。」約瑟醒後，就遵循使者的吩咐，把馬利亞娶入門為妻。但直至兒子降生，他都不跟馬利亞同房。他給兒子起名叫耶穌。

    耶穌誕生時，在伯利恆城外看守羊群的三位牧羊人，看到黑暗的天空上突然有萬丈光芒射出，牧羊人嚇了一跳，後來天使出現告訴他們說：「不要怕，我要帶給你們萬民一個喜訊。今天在大衛的城裡有位救世主出世，你們會在馬槽裡找到一個用布包著的嬰兒。」牧羊人彼此詢問對方是否看到此異象，三位都驚喜的說看到了！

    於是他們拔腿就跑向城裡，他們果真找到如天使所描述的嬰兒。牧羊人便到處宣揚基督誕生的喜訊，聽到這個消息的人們都很驚訝，也都跟著去看望救世的基督，後來聖誕夜時的報佳音活動就是因牧羊人而來。