Oliver Smith
Lyndale Advent Play 1999
Theatrical Index Page
/
Writing Index Page
Lyndale United Church of Christ
Children's Christmas Program 1999
Greyhound Nativity
Script by Oliver Smith
Art by Kelly Waterman
A Christmas Drama For 35-40 Minutes
Recommended gender and age for each role are only suggestions. We would
like to get feedback from children and teachers for any and all aspects
of this presentation.
If a particular youth is especially interested and motivated to play a
specific role we believe that this should be accommodated, if possible.
We understand that memorizing many lines in a short time is very
difficult, so we are not expecting anyone, necessarily, to memorize
their parts, but the more that is memorized the better the presentation
will be. We will leave this up to the teachers and youth to determine
who, how much and when memorization should be done. Youth 1 and Youth 2
should probably simply concentrate on speaking clearly and
communicating the script to the audience.
The Psychic and the Nerds have a few lines which would be very
effective if memorized.
There is plenty of room for improvisation within this presentation and
we strongly encourage teachers and youth to be CREATIVE!
Cast:
Youth 1 - High School Age
Youth 2 - High School Age
(Youth 1 and Youth 2 should be 1 male and one female if possible and
they should be willing and able to speak clearly for long periods of
time)
Psychic
(We envision this character to be the most interesting character in the
drama. Find a youth who is particularly interested in bringing a wild
mystical presence onto the stage)
Mary
Jo
Nerd 1
Nerd 2
Nerd 3
(Nerds should be a mixture of male and female youth and of High School
age)
Extras:
Sheep (Traditional Stage)
Street Musicians (City Stage)
Infant (City Stage, only for the final few minutes, in order to
minimize the amount of exposure to the infant, no specific gender).
Security Guard (City Stage)
People waiting for buses (City Stage)
Stage Setting
Part I
The Dialog
Two young adults, known as Youth 1 and Youth 2, are standing in a
corner of the social area of church, waiting for their parents to stop
"visiting" so that they can go home.
The Social Hour Stage should be set up before the presentation begins.
Youth 1 and Youth 2 are in a crowd of adults and youth and various
conversations are taking place. After a while Youth 1 and Youth 2 take
their place behind the microphone established to the right of the stage
(audience perspective, see Stage 1 diagram).
Youth 1:
(Looking toward their parents) I wished they would hurry up and finish
so that we can go home.
Youth 2:
Yeah, me too. (silence for a few seconds, then looking at Youth 1) Do
you think that they are going to make us do that stupid Christmas
program again?
Youth 1:
(looking surprised) Christmas program? What do you mean?
Youth 2:
You know, that thing they make us do every year just before Christmas
here.
Youth 1:
On no! Is it that time of year again?
Youth 2:
It's only a few weeks away.
(at this point, the Social Hour Stage should start to shift into the
Traditional Stage, with parents, teachers and youth setting up props
for a Traditional Christmas pageant, with manger, sheep, shepherds,
etc).
Youth 1:
That's forever. It'll NEVER get here. I LOVE Christmas and I LOVE doing
that program.
Youth 2:
You do?
Youth 1:
Yeah. I love working with the little kids and building the props and
memorizing lines. I want to be a movie star someday! (make a large
dramatic gesture while stating the final sentence)
Youth 2:
Yeah right (sounding sarcastic). What's so interesting about this
program anyway. It's BORING! They do the same thing every year. It's
the same story every year. Nothing CHANGES!
Youth 1:
But that's the beauty of it, it DOESN'T change. We get to hear the same
wonderful story of the birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary with all the
sheep and snow and big flowing robes and sparkly stars and CHRISTMAS
TREES! How can you NOT love that!
Youth 2:
Well, my mom says that most of this stuff is from other religions and
that virgin stuff is just another way to put women down, making them
sweet and soft and second class. Why does Jesus have to be a guy all of
the time anyway? And why does Mary have to be so quiet and obedient?
Why can't she be sassy, with a mind of her own?
Youth 1:
That's sacrilegious! How can you SAY such a thing!
Youth 2:
Why is it sacriliscious, or whatever that word is, for a woman to speak
her own mind, have her own opinion? Why does Mary have to get pregnant
without her OWN consent? Would god REALLY do something like that? I
just don't understand.
Youth 1:
The word is SACRILEGIOUS, and it means that you're not supposed to
question things that you hear in church, because it's SACRED, which
means that you can't change it, or something. I just know it's BAD!
Youth 2:
Well, I'm tired of religion telling me what I can and can't do. I want
to be myself.
Youth 1:
Does that mean that you aren't going to be in the Christmas program
this year?
Youth 2:
I might do it. But it will be MY decision if I do it, unless my parents
make me do it. (thinking for a few seconds) Do you think they'll let us
do something DIFFERENT this time?
Youth 1:
I can just see it now (looking over to the stage)...Christmas trees...
(at this point, the other children start to assemble the more
traditional scene envisioned by Youth 1).
Youth 2:
They didn't have Christmas trees there when Jesus was born...
Youth 1:
angels...twinkling stars...PRESENTS...shepherds...sheep...
Youth 2:
If god were to send a child TODAY it wouldn't be like that at all.
Youth 1:
It wouldn't?
Youth 2:
No. Where would you find a manger here, in Minneapolis? And sheep? And
Shepherds?
(this is when the Traditional Stage should start to shift into the City
Stage at the Bus Station)
Youth 1:
But it didn't happen today. It happened a long time ago, when there
were shepherds and sheep in town, at least way over there.
Youth 2:
But what if it DID happen today? What would it be like?
Youth 1:
Why would god send a child today when a child has already been sent?
Youth 2:
For one thing, is the world much different today? Are people any nicer
to each today? Back then you had people killing people and today you
have people killing people. So maybe god would want to do it again, to
drive the point home since they didn't get it the last time.
Youth 1:
But if it were to happen today it would be too easy. We're USED to the
idea of god sending a child, so it wouldn't be as dramatic (make
another dramatic gesture here).
Youth 2:
Do you really think that if someone came up to you and said "I'm going
to have god's child" that YOU wouldn't think they were crazy?
Youth 1:
But they WOULD be!
Youth 2:
Like I said...things aren't much different today.
Youth 1:
Alright, if you know so much, what WOULD it be like if god sent a child
today. It's almost the year 2000 since the last time, why not?
Youth 2:
Let's see, instead of a manger, what about a bus station? And instead
of sheep there would be a bunch of mangy dogs running around, starving,
looking for food.
Youth 1:
Yuck!
Youth 2:
And what if there were two women, say Josephine and Mary, instead of
Joseph and Mary?
Youth 1:
You can't have too women?
Youth 2:
Why not? I've got two mothers, why can't god's child? Besides, Mary
didn't need a guy last time, would she need one this time?
Youth 1:
I don't know. That might be a bit too radical right now. I'll let you
have the bus station and mangy dogs, but I want Joseph to stay as a
guy. What if we called Joseph "Jo", instead. That way people wouldn't
know if "Jo" was male or female?
Youth 2:
OK, but who would be the "wise men". I don't know of ANYONE who pays
attention to stars these days.
Youth 1:
I know this geeky girl at school who has a telescope at home. She's a
member of the science club, has lots of books and actually reads them!
If there were any kind of differences in the stars she would know. She
says she wants to be an astronaut.
Youth 2:
Maybe we can have a couple of her friends from the science club join
her so that we can have three. But what would they give the child of
god?
Youth 1:
The last time it was gold, frankincense and myrrh. I don't think you
could find those very easily here in Minneapolis.
Youth 2:
(looking out to the congregation) What would YOU people give the child
of god if this were to happen here in Minneapolis? (Write down the
suggestions. In advance of the performance, presents will be made,
which will be covered with wrapping and ribbons. Each present will have
blank labels. As the presents from the audience are called out, the
names of these gifts will be written on the labels. When the gifts are
presented to the child of god, the Nerds will read the names of the
gifts out loud). Alright, that's what the science club nerds will bring
to the child of god.
Youth 1:
I have a question (looking at Youth 2). Why are Mary and Jo in the bus
station? Why don't they just check into a motel?
Youth 2:
Because they don't have a job and can't get one, so they are homeless.
Youth 1:
But there are plenty of jobs out there. Why can't Jo get off his butt
and get a job, then he'd be able to get a hotel room or rent an
apartment, or something.
Youth 2:
But, if you don't have a place to stay you can't take bath and keep
yourself clean. Do you think McDonald's is going to hire you if you
come into the interview smelling like last month's garbage?
Youth 1:
Why can't they just stay in a homeless shelter?
Youth 2:
...because they're all full. There's no room, so they have to find some
place warm and where they can beg for some money for food. After all
they need to eat too.
Youth 1:
Why don't they just get on a bus and head down to Florida or California
where it's warmer?
Youth 2:
You've got to have money in order to get on the bus, right? Jo doesn't
have a job, Mary's pregnant with god's child, what are they going to
do? Imagine how most churches would react if you knocked on the front
door asking for food and a place to stay and (by the way) my partner is
going to have god's child.
Youth 1:
Yeah, that probably wouldn't go over too well. (stopping to think for a
couple of seconds) What about the angel that tells Mary she's gonna
have god's child? Who would that be.
Youth 2:
I've been trying to figure that one out myself and I was kind've
leaning toward some kind of psychic...you know, someone who can sense
these kinds of things. Maybe someone with a psychic reading room on
Hennepin or Lake. One night they wake up in the middle of a deep sleep
and they have a vision. They are told to go down to the Minneapolis bus
station and tell a woman that she is going to have god's child.
Youth 1:
But I thought she was going to have the child in the bus station. That
would be nine months before, when she got pregnant.
Youth 2:
Well, they are homeless and they have been in and out of homeless
shelters and spending nights on park benches in the summer, but the bus
station is where they try to go when there isn't any other place to go.
And it just so happens that they are there when the psychic gets the
message to tell Mary about your unexpected pregnancy.
Youth 1:
What about Herod? He had a pretty bad attitude when the "magi", who saw
the star, told him that god's child was being born.
Youth 2:
Bus stations always have security guards and police officers around to
clean up the vagrants. They could be Herod. Harry the security guard.
Youth 1:
Alright, but I'm not sure if I like this.
Youth 2:
Let's try it.
Youth 1 and Youth2 in unison:
(Looking at the audience), this is the story of the birth of the child
of god in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1999.
There is the possibility of a musical interlude here.
Part II
The Birth Of The Child Of God
Youth 1:
In December of 1999, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a homeless couple
struggles to survive. They found each other on the street when they
were begging for money on Nicollet Mall. Since it was a lot safer to be
together and because they enjoyed each other's company, they continued
to remain together.
Youth 2:
Mary was a young woman from the suburbs who had been abused at home, so
she ran away to live in the uptown area, but she was tired of the men
trying to pick her up or make her a prostitute. She hated her life and
everyone around her until she met Jo, whose parents were divorced and
always blamed him for their problems. He was kicked out and told to
never return. Because he was very young when he left home, he didn't
know how to survive. But he met some people on the streets who helped
him learn how to do what he could to survive, but his life wasn't
anything until he met Mary.
Youth 1:
Together, they found that they could live day to day, fight off the
hunger and cold, but it was hard, so they were very confused and upset
when they were approached by this individual who is called a psychic.
Youth 2:
They were huddled together in a dark back corner of the bus station,
trying to stay away from the security guard last spring, before it got
warm enough to spend the night in Loring Park.
Youth 1:
The psychic appears at the bus station wearing a lot of jewelry,
dressed flamboyantly and speaking softly, almost a whisper (but loud
enough for the audience to understand).
----------------------------------------
Psychic:
Psssst. Is your name Mary?
Mary:
Yes, but who are you?
Psychic:
I'm a psychic and I was awakened in the middle of the night and told to
bring you a message from god.
Jo:
From god?
Psychic:
Yes, from god. You know, the great spirit, the one who knows all, the
big cheese in the sky. (looking at Mary) God says "Hail, Mary, you are
much favored by god. You are blessed. Fear Not! You are going to become
pregnant and bear a child and this child will be the child of god.
Mary:
How can this be? Jo and I haven't even "done it".
Psychic:
The spirit of god will come upon you and the power of god will
overshadow you: therefore this child will be known as the child of god.
For with god, all things are possible.
Mary:
Whatever. (looking perplexed) So I'm supposed to just sit here and god
is going to do something to make me pregnant? Don't I have any say in
this?
Psychic:
Don't ask me. I'm just the messenger. You're going to have to talk to
god about this. (at this point the psychic leaves)
Mary:
What do you suppose THAT was all about.
Jo:
I don't know. Let's get some sleep.
Before Youth 1 and Youth 2 start speaking, Mary and Jo are going around
downtown Minneapolis looking for a place to stay. They are scoffed at
by passers by, they are ushered out by store proprietors, and police
officers are telling them that they cannot linger too much because the
Holidazzle parade is going to take place soon. They finally end up at
the Bus Station again.
Youth 1:
Nine months later, Mary and Jo find themselves in the Bus Station
again. This time Mary is VERY pregnant.
Youth 2:
And Jo is worried that Mary will have the child tonight.
. . .
Mary:
Oh god! I am SOOOOO not loving this pregnancy thing. (Mary is
struggling to get comfortable on the cement floor in the back of the
garage.
Jo:
I cannot imagine having a baby myself. Why did that psychic come and
tell US! There are lots of people in the suburbs who want babies and
THEY can afford them. (Jo takes the blankets he has been carrying
around and places them under and around Mary, comforting her)
----------------------------------------
Youth 1:
Meanwhile, over at the high school, the science club is studying the
stars with a telescope.
Youth 2:
It's late at night on a Friday, so they don't need to be up for school
the next day. The sky is clear and something is very different about
the sky.
----------------------------------------
Nerd 1:
Wow! Look at this! There's some kind of weird and bright star and it
looks like it is positioned right over downtown Minneapolis.
Nerd 2:
How can that be? That simply isn't LOGICAL!
Nerd 3:
Hey, let me see! (moves behind the telescope and takes a look) You're
right, that IS different. Why would a star position itself directly
over Minneapolis?
Nerd 1:
I wonder if this is some kind of a sign, like from god or something.
Nerd 2:
That's not logical. There must be some kind of scientific explanation.
Maybe the Air Force is experimenting with some king of new weather
balloon.
Nerd 3:
This isn't acting like a weather balloon, or anything else I've ever
seen or heard about.
Nerd 1:
Has there been any kind of news on the Internet about some strange
phenomenon taking place in the sky?
Nerd 2:
Nah. I was logged in just a couple of hours ago and there was nothing
special then.
Nerd 3:
Downtown Minneapolis isn't that far away. It's just a few blocks away,
let's check it out and see what's under the star.
Nerd 1:
Dude! Let's do it.
Nerd 2:
This just isn't logical! Why are we going to go chasing some kind of
magical thing?
Nerd 3:
Lighten up. It's a beautiful clear night. This could be fun.
-----------------------------------
Youth 1:
The three science club students make their way to the Minneapolis bus
station, which is directly beneath the star they have been watching.
Youth 2:
As they enter the station, they walk around buses, looking for
something different, ignoring the people waiting for their bus
departures.
Youth 1:
In a dark corner of the bus station, they find a couple of homeless
people surrounded by several calm, but loose dogs.
Youth 2:
The three science club students approach the couple, taking notice that
the woman is holding a new born child.
(the three science club students are carrying the gifts suggested by
the audience)
We were thinking of having some street musicians playing here while the
offering is collected.
Nerd 1:
This must be what the star is telling us about.
Nerd 2:
(looking to Mary) Is your baby special or something?
Mary:
Well, a psychic told me that I would have a child, without "doing it",
and that it would be the child of god.
Nerd 2:
But that's not logical! How can that be?
Mary:
I can't explain it. That's just the way that it happened.
Jo:
How did you three find us?
Nerd 3:
We were studying the sky tonight, through our telescope at school and
we saw this very bright, strange star, which is positioned directly
over this bus station.
Jo:
Wow! That psychic must have been right.
Nerd 1:
We have some things for you here.
Nerd 2:
I know that this is not logical, but the audience said that these would
be good gifts for a new mother of the child of god, so please take
these gifts.
Nerd 3:
This IS a special night after all.
Nerd 1:
And it's just in time for the new millenium.
Nerd 2:
That's not logical. The new millenium doesn't REALLY take place until
2001.
Nerd 3:
And to think, we are the first ones to see this new child.
(At this point, the Nerds hand out the presents with the names of the
gifts written on the labels, reading the names of the gifts out loud).
-----------------------------------
Youth 1:
And god was good to Jo and Mary after the birth of this special child.
Youth 2:
Jo, it turns out, had been making small sculptures from garbage he
collected from the dumpsters of large downtown corporations and he
started selling them on Nicollet Mall. He sold enough to get a small
apartment on Franklin Avenue.
Youth 1:
Mary and Jo attended churches and synagogues in the Uptown area,
letting the child learn the ways of god's spirit.
Youth 2:
They grew in their love for each other, for their child and their
appreciation for god.
Youth 1 and Youth 2 in unison:
And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom:
and the grace of god was upon the child.
-----------------------------------
Youth 1:
(looking to the audience) We know that this is not the Christmas story
you are all used to seeing.
Youth 2:
But we would like for you to think about god and how god wants to
communicate with us and whether we are ready to receive that message,
regardless of the form that god chooses to deliver that message
through.
Entire Cast:
My the spirit of god be with you all.
And have a very merry Christmas.
The End
The version of Christmas In Matthew
Matthew 1
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen
generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are
fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto
Christ are fourteen generations.
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother
Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found
with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make
her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear
not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her
is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:
for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son,
and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God
with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had
bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and
he called his name JESUS.
Matthew 2
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod
the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen
his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the
people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is
written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the
princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule
my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them
diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for
the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that
I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which
they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over
where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child
with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they
had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and
frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to
Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth
to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his
mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word:
for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and
departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have
I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was
exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in
Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under,
according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet,
saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great
mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted,
because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a
dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into
the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's
life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into
the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of
his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being
warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a
Nazarene.
The version of Christmas found in Luke
Luke 1
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest
named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the
daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the
commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they
both were now well stricken in years.
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office
before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn
incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the
time of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the
right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is
heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt
call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his
birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink
neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy
Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their
God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the
wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I
am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in
the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee
these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the
day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my
words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried
so long in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they
perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto
them, and remained speechless.
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration
were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself
five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on
me, to take away my reproach among men.
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a
city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly
favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in
her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found
favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and
the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not
a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come
upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be
called the Son of God.
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in
her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called
barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me
according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with
haste, into a city of Juda;
40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of
Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the
Holy Ghost:
42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou
among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to
me?
44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine
ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance
of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold,
from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his
name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to
generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in
the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of
low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath
sent empty away.
54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own
house.
57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she
brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed
great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise
the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called
John.
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called
by this name.
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is
John. And they marvelled all.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he
spake, and praised God.
65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these
sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying,
What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with
him.
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and
prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed
his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his
servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since
the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all
that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his
holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand
of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for
thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of
their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on
high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of
death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the
deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
Luke 2
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from
Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem;
(because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were
accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them
in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which
is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto
Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord
hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe
lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told
them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the
child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses
were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the
Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth
the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law
of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon;
and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of
Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not
see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents
brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy
word:
30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were
spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this
child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a
sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the
thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of
the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an
husband seven years from her virginity;
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which
departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers
night and day.
38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord,
and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the
Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom:
and the grace of God was upon him.
Return to
Oliver's Home Page
© Copyright Oliver Smith 2002