8 In that same area, there were some shepherds staying out in the fields where they kept watch over their flocks at night. 9 A messenger sent by Yahweh approached them, and Yahweh’s radiance shone around them, and they were very frightened. 10 “Don’t be scared,” the messenger told them, “because I’m bringing you a good message that will bring great happiness to all people 11 because a saviour for all people was born today in David’s town. He’s the messiah, Yahweh, 12 and this is how you’ll know him: you’ll find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and sleeping in a feeding trough.”

13 Then suddenly lots of heavenly soldiers joined the messenger, praising God and saying, 14 “Let all honour be given to God in the highest, and peace on earth to all people along with good will.”

15 Then as the messengers left them and went up into the sky, the shepherds said to each other, “Well, we’ll certainly go into Beyt-Lehem (Bethlehem) so we can see what this was about that Yahweh has let us know about.”

16 So they hurried into town and asked around to find Maria (Mary; Heb. Miryam; Grk. Maria/Mariam) and Yosef (Joseph), and also the baby sleeping in the feeding trough. 17 When they met them, they explained what they’d been told about the young baby. 18 Everyone who heard this was amazed at what the shepherds told them, 19 but Maria treasured all of these messages in her heart and often thought about them. 20 Finally the shepherds returned back to their fields—they were worshipping and praising God for what they’d heard and how they’d seen it exactly like they’d been told.