Because the LORD is righteous and good, he teaches sinners the path they should follow.

He leads the humble in the right way and teaches them his will.

Whenever I am anxious and worried, you comfort me and make me glad.

I am your servant; give me understanding, so that I may know your teachings.

Remind me each morning of your constant love, for I put my trust in you. My prayers go up to you; show me the way I should go.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.

Remember the LORD in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.

Honest people will treat you fairly; the wicked only want to deceive you.

You, LORD, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.

If you wander off the road to the right or the left, you will hear his voice behind you saying, "Here is the road. Follow it."

The LORD's angel appeared to her and said, "You have never been able to have children, but you will soon be pregnant and have a son.

Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, "Please, LORD, let the man of God that you sent come back to us and tell us what we must do with the boy when he is born."

God did what Manoah asked, and his angel came back to the woman while she was sitting in the field. Her husband Manoah was not with her,

while the crowd of people outside prayed during the hour when the incense was burned.

When Zechariah saw him, he was alarmed and felt afraid.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth.

The angel came to her and said, "Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!"

The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was,

Mary said to the angel, "I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?"

Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old.

"I am the Lord's servant," said Mary; "may it happen to me as you have said." And the angel left her.

There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks.

but the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.

And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!"

After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, "Herod will be looking for the child in order to kill him. So get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you to leave."

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt

But when Joseph heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, he was afraid to go there. He was given more instructions in a dream, so he went to the province of Galilee

The angel of God spoke to me in the dream and said, 'Jacob!' 'Yes,' I answered.

and the LORD said, "Now hear what I have to say! When there are prophets among you, I reveal myself to them in visions and speak to them in dreams.

Like a nightmare it disturbed my sleep.

A light breeze touched my face, and my skin crawled with fright.

At night when people are asleep, God speaks in dreams and visions.

God speaks to make them stop their sinning and to save them from becoming proud.

"Afterward I will pour out my Spirit on everyone: your sons and daughters will proclaim my message; your old people will have dreams, and your young people will see visions.

When word reached the king of Judah that the armies of Syria were already in the territory of Israel, he and all his people were so terrified that they trembled like trees shaking in the wind.

To that Isaiah replied, "Listen, now, descendants of King David. It's bad enough for you to wear out the patience of people---do you have to wear out God's patience too?

And just as surely as I have done this, so I will maintain my covenant with Jacob's descendants and with my servant David. I will choose one of David's descendants to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will be merciful to my people and make them prosperous again."

Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David.

The angel spoke to the women. "You must not be afraid," he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

"I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go to Egypt; I will make your descendants a great nation there.

"Don't worry," Elijah said to her. "Go on and prepare your meal. But first make a small loaf from what you have and bring it to me, and then prepare the rest for you and your son.

"Listen to me, you that know what is right, who have my teaching fixed in your hearts. Do not be afraid when people taunt and insult you;

Gedaliah said to them, "I give you my word that there is no need for you to be afraid to surrender to the Babylonians. Settle in this land, serve the king of Babylonia, and all will go well with you.

The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you.

This was how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they were married, she found out that she was going to have a baby by the Holy Spirit.

How long will you hesitate, faithless people? I have created something new and different, as different as a woman protecting a man."