Luke 2:8–20

The OET Readers’ Version is designed to be read alongside the Literal Version. Expand the matching Literal Version beneath each passage. This is still an early look into the drafted text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

2:8 The shepherds and the messengers

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.

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Read the Literal Version in context

8 And shepherds were in the the same region, lodging _in _the _fields and keeping watch the by _night over the flock of _them.

9 And a_messenger of_the_master approached to _them, and the_glory of_the_master shined _around them, and they _were _afraid with_ great _fear.

10 And the messenger said to _them:
Be_ not _fearing, because/for see, I _am _good _message _preaching to _you _all great joy, which will _be to _all the people,

11 because today a_saviour was _born to _you _all, who is the_chosen _one /messiah, the_master, in the_city of _Dawid.

12 And this is the sign to _you _all:
you _all _will _be _finding a_baby having _been _swaddled, and lying in a_manger.

13 And suddenly a_multitude of_the_ heavenly _army became with the messenger, praising the god and saying,

14 Glory to_god in the_highest, and peace on earth among humans with _good _pleasure.

15 And it _became as the messengers went _away from them into the heaven, the shepherds were _saying to one _another:
We _may_ indeed _pass _through as _far _as Baʸthleʼem/(Bēyt-leḩem), and we _may _see the message this the thing having _become, which the master made _known to _us.

16 And came having _hurried, and sought _out the both Maria/(Miryām) and the Yōsaʸf/(Yōşēf), and the baby, lying in the manger.

17 And having _seen, they _made _known concerning the saying which having _been _spoken to _them, concerning the this little _child.

18 And all the ones having _heard, marvelled concerning the things having _been _spoken by the shepherds to them.

19 But the Maria was _treasuring all the these messages, considering them in the heart of _her.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising the god for all things which they _heard and saw, as was _spoken to them.

OET-RV by cross-referenced section LUKE 2:8

The shepherds and the messengers

Luke 2:8–20