BIBLE STORIES

  A long, long time ago, there was a place called Bethlehem which was in Judea. Judea was a very hot and dusty place with lots of mountains. It was ruled by the Romans. The Roman Emperor was called Julius Caesar. He was in charge. Everybody had to obey him.

 

  One day, Caesar told all his men to go to all the towns and write down everyone's name in a big book. And, they had to write down everything everybody owned. Caesar wanted to know how big his empire was.

 

  Mary and Joseph had to go and sign the big book. They lived in a different town, called Nazareth, but they had to travel miles and miles to Bethlehem to sign their names.

 

  Mary was going to have a baby. God had sent an angel called Gabriel to tell her she was going to have a baby, and that he would be called Jesus. A different angel went to visit Joseph, and told him to look after Mary.

 

  It was a long way to Bethlehem and the journey took a really long time. When they got there, because lots of other people had had to go to Bethlehem too, there was nowhere left for them to stay. They knocked on the doors of lots of inns, but no one had a spare room. Everywhere was full. Then one kind man saw that they had nowhere to go, and even though he didn’t have a room for them, he said that they could stay with his animals in the stable. At least it would be warm and dry.

 

  That night, Mary had her baby. Mary wrapped him in a blanket and laid him on some straw in a manger. The angel had told her that the baby would be called Jesus and so Mary and Joseph called him Jesus.

 

  Up on the hills away from Bethlehem, some shepherds were looking after their sheep. It was a cold night. Everywhere was very quiet. Then, suddenly, an angel appeared in the sky and filled it with light. The shepherds were very frightened. The angel looked at them and said “Do not be afraid, I have some good news for you. Jesus is born.” And the angel told them where to go to find the baby.

 

  Then the sky filled with hundreds of angels, who were singing and dancing. The shepherds couldn't believe what they were seeing! The shepherd quickly went to the town. They rushed through the narrow streets until they got to the stable. When they got there, it was just like the angel had said - the baby was wrapped in a blanket and laying in a manger.

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