Matthew 1:13-22

13Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor.

14Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Akim. Akim was the father of Eliud.

15Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob.

16Jacob was the father of Joseph. Joseph married Mary. Mary was the mother of Jesus. Jesus is the one who is called Christ, the Messiah.

17So then, there were 14 generations from Abraham to David. There were another 14 generations from David to the time they took the Israelite people away to Babylon. Then there were 14 generations from that time until Jesus, the Messiah, was born.

18This is how Jesus Christ was born. His mother's name was Mary. She had promised to marry a man called Joseph. Then she discovered that she was pregnant. This happened before they started to live together. It was the Holy Spirit that caused this to happen to her.

19Joseph was a good man. He wanted to do what was right. He did not want her to become ashamed in front of people. So he decided to stop their marriage secretly.

20He thought about what he should do. Then an angel came from the Lord God to see him. The angel came to Joseph while he was dreaming. The angel said, ‘Joseph, you who are from the family of King David, take Mary home as your wife. Do not be afraid to do that. The baby that is growing inside her is from the Holy Spirit.

21Mary's baby will be a boy. He will save his people from their sins. Because of that, you must give him the name “Jesus”.’

22The Lord God had given a message about this to one of his prophets long ago. Now that message would become true.