8 That night some shepherds were living out in the fields near Bethlehem. They were keeping their sheep safe.

9 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to them. A bright light from God shone all round them. That frightened them very much.

10 The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen! I bring you good news. This news will make everyone very happy.

11 Something happened today in the town of David. Someone special was born. He is the one who will save you. He is the Messiah . He is the Lord .

12 I will tell you how you will know this baby. You will find him with cloths round him. He is lying in an animal's feeding box.’

13 Just then many more angels appeared in a great crowd. They were praising God. They said:

15 After that, the angels went away and returned to heaven . Then the shepherds said to each other, ‘We should leave the sheep and go to Bethlehem immediately! The Lord God has sent his angels to tell us what has happened. We want to see this baby.’

16 So they went in a hurry to Bethlehem. When they got there, they found Mary and Joseph with the baby. The baby really was lying in a feeding box.

17 After they had seen the baby, they told everybody about him. They told them what the angel had said to them about him.

18 Many people heard what the shepherds said. They were very surprised. 19Mary remembered everything that the shepherds had said. She thought about it all for a long time.

20 The shepherds then went back to their sheep. As they went they praised God. ‘How great you are!’ they said to him. ‘How good you are! Everything that the angel told us was true! We have heard good news. We have seen very special things!’