2 ¹ IN THOSE DAYS a decree was issued by the Emperor Augustus for a registration throughout the Roman world. 2 ² This was the first registration of its kind; it took place when Quirinius Or: This was the first registration carried out while Quirinius ... was governor of Syria. 2 ³ For this purpose everyone made his way to his own town; 2 ⁴ and so Joseph went up to Judaea from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, 2 ⁵ to register at the city of David, called Bethlehem, ^4. because he was of the house of David by descent; ^5. and with him went Mary who was betrothed to him. She was expecting a child, 2 ⁶ and while they were there the time came for her child to be born, 2 ⁷ and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in his swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them to lodge in the house.