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(1-17) Jesus, God's Chosen, has an impressive pedigree. His ancestors
include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and Tamar (Judah’s daughter-in-law);
Barbara (the Palestinian prostitute), Ruth and Boaz, King David and
Bathsheba, the wife he stole from Uriah, King Solomon, and many other kings,
priests and leaders. Jesus came from this line through Joseph, husband of
Mary. They were the parents of Jesus, God's Chosen. In all there were
fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the time
of the exile in Babylon, and fourteen from then to Jesus.
(18) This is how Jesus, God's Chosen, was born. His mother Mary was engaged
to Joseph. She was pregnant before they were married. This was the work of
God's Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man. He did not want to expose
Mary to a public scandal, so he thought to break off the engagement without
making any fuss. When he had almost made up his mind to do this, he had a
message from God in a dream.
"Joseph, remember you're a descendant of David. There's no need to have any
worries about marrying Mary. This baby has been planned by God's Spirit.
It's going to be a boy and you must call him Jesus. He will be a healer and
cure people of their wrongdoing."
The birth of Jesus reminds us of words spoken by one of God's speakers in
times past "A young woman will become pregnant and give birth to a son. He
will be the sign that God is with us."
When Joseph woke up, he took God's advice and got married to Mary. They did
without sex until the baby boy was born. Joseph called him Jesus.
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