The birth of Jesus, recorded in Luke 2:1-20, involved Joseph and Mary journeying from Nazareth to Bethlehem, labor and delivery in a humble room for animals, angels announcing the birth to shepherds, and their subsequent visit to see the swaddled baby in a manger. Luke 2:21-40 covers Joseph and Mary’s visit to the temple (probably forty days later) when they made the necessary offerings for their firstborn son and Mary’s purification after which they received encouragement from Simeon and Anna.

Luke 2:1-5 Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem because of a census. This enabled Mary to give birth to Jesus (in accordance with the prophecy in Micah 5:2) in the ancestral city of David, Bethlehem.

Luke 2:6-7 Jesus came into the world in a humble setting with a feeding trough as his cradle. Still Mary swaddled him and made sure he was well cared for.

Luke 2:8-14 Shepherding was a humble profession, and shepherds were generally poor. God chose them (of all people) to hear the birth announcement for His son.

Luke 2:15-20 When the shepherds visited Mary and Joseph, they encouraged them to believe that God was truly with them.

Luke 2:21-24 When the family went to the temple, they made the appropriate offerings for a firstborn son (Ex 13:12-15) and for Mary’s purification (Lev 12:2-8).

Luke 2:25-40 Simeon and Anna also greatly encouraged Joseph and Mary, testifying, once again, that God was with them and that the child was destined for greatness.