Excerpt
The Gospel of Matthew
1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac; Isaac became the father of Jacob; Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers; Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar; and Perez became the father of Hezron; Hezron became the father of Ram; Ram became the father of Amminadab; and Amminadab the father of Nahshon; and Nahshon the father of Salmon; Salmon became the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab; and Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth; Obed the father of Jesse; Jesse the father of David the king; David the king became the father of Solomon whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam; and Rehoboam the father of Abia; and Abia the father of Asa; Asa became the father of Jehosaphat; and Jehosaphat the father of Joram; and Joram the father of Ozias; And Ozias became the father of Joatham; and Joatham the father of Achaz; and Achaz the father of Hezekiah; And Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh; and Manasseh the father of Amos; and Amos the father of Josiah; And Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time they were exiled to Babylon.
After they were in Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel; and Shealtiel the father of Zorobabel; And Zorobabel became the father of Abiud; and Abiud the father of Eliakim; and Eliakim the father of Azor; And Azor became the father of Zadoc; Zadoc the father of Achim; and Achim the father of Eliud; And Eliud became the father of Eleazar; and Eleazar the father of Matthan; and Matthan the father of Jacob; And Jacob became the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, the Christ.
The generations from Abraham to David are fourteen, from David until the exile to Babylon are fourteen; and from the exile to Babylon until the birth of Christ are fourteen generations.
The birth of Jesus Christ was thus: When Mary, His mother, was espoused to Joseph, and before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, a just man, not willing to make her a public example, decided to put her away privately. But while he thought about these things an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, thou son of David, do not fear to take Mary as thy wife. The one who is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She shall bring forth a son and thou shall call Him Jesus. He will save His people from their sins.
All this was done so that what was spoken of the Lord by the prophet might be fulfilled: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us. Then Joseph awoke and did as the angel of the Lord told him and took unto him his wife. He knew her not until she brought forth her firstborn son, Jesus.
2. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of King Herod, wise men, magi, from the east went to Jerusalem. They said, One is born King of the Jews....