God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph.

أرسَلَ اللهُ المَلاكَ جِبْرائِيلَ إلَى بَلدَةٍ فِي إقليمِ الجَلِيلِ تُدعَى النّاصِرَةُ، إلَى فَتاةٍ عَذراءَ اسْمُها مَريَمُ، مَخطُوبَةٍ لِرَجُلٍ مِنْ نَسلِ داوُدَ اسْمُهُ يُوسُفُ.

The angel said, "You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You are to name him Jesus. He will be the Son of the Most High God and will rule forever."

فَجاءَ إلَيها جِبْرائِيلُ وَقالَ لَها: «ها أنتِ سَتَحبَلِينَ وَتَلِدِينَ ابناً، وَتُسَمينَهُ يَسُوعَ. سَيَكُونَ عَظِيماً، وَلَنْ يَنتَهِيَ مُلكُهُ أبَداً.»

When the time was near for Mary to give birth, the Roman government told everyone to go for a census to the town where their ancestors had lived. Joseph and Mary had to make a long journey from where they lived in Nazareth to Bethlehem.

وحول ذلك الوقت الذي كانت مريم على وشك الولادة، قالت الحكومة الرومانية للجميع أن يذهبوا إلى بلدة أجدادهم للتِعداد. فكان على مريم ويوسف أن يقوما برحلة طويلة من حيث كانا يعيشان في الناصرة إلى بيت لحم.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was no place to stay. The only room they could find was a place where animals stayed. The baby was born there and his mother laid him in a feeding trough, since they did not have a bed for him. They named him Jesus.

ولمّا وصلا إلى بيت لحم، لم يكن هناك مكان للإقامة. فالمكان الوحيد الذي استطاعا أن يجداه كان حيث تبيت الحيوانات. فوُلِدَ الطفل هناك، وَأَضْجَعَتْهُ أُمُّهُ فِي مِذْوَدٍ، إذ لم يكن لديهما سرير له. وسمُّاهُ يَسوع.

That night, there were some shepherds in a nearby field guarding their flocks. Suddenly, a shining angel appeared to them, and they were terrified. The angel said, "Do not be afraid, because I have some good news for you. The Messiah has been born in Bethlehem! You will find him wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding trough."

وفي تلك الليلة، كان هناك بعض الرعاة في حقل مجاور يحرسون قطعانهم. وفجأة، ظَهَرَ لهم ملاكاً براقاً، فَخَافُوا خَوْفًا عَظِيمًا. فقال الملاك: "لا تخافوا، لأن لدي بعض الأخبار السارة لكم. إنه قد وُلِدَ المسيح! اذهبوا وابحثوا عن الطفل، فستَجدونه مُقَمَّطًا في قِطعٍ من القماش ومُضْجَعًا فِي مِذْوَدٍ."

The shepherds soon arrived at the place where Jesus was and they found him lying in a feeding trough, just as the angel had told them. They were very excited. Mary was very happy, too.

وفجأة، امتلأت السماء بالملائكة المنشدين والمسبحين لله قائلين: "الْمَجْدُ للهِ فِي الأَعَالِي، وَعَلَى الأَرْضِ السَّلاَمُ، وَبِالنَّاسِ الْمَسَرَّةُ! ولمّا وصلَ الرعاة إلى المكان الذي كان فيه يسوع، وجدوه مُضْجَعًا فِي مِذْوَدٍ، تماما كما قد قال لهم الملاك. فكانوا في غاية السعادة. وكانت مريم سعيدة جدا، أيضا.

Sometime later, wise men from countries far to the east saw an unusual star in the sky. They realized it meant a new king had been born. So, they came to Bethlehem and found the house where Jesus and his parents were staying.

وبعد ذلك بفترة، رأى مجوس من بلدان بعيدة في الشرق نجماً غير عادي في السماء. وأدركوا أنّه كان يعني ولادة ملك جديد. لذلك، سافروا مسافة كبيرة لرؤية هذا الملك.

When the wise men saw Jesus with his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

فجاءوا إلى بيتِ لحمٍ ووجدوا المكان حيث كان يسوع يسكنُ. فَدَخَلُوا المَنزِلَ وَرَأَوْا الطِّفلَ مَعَ مَرْيَمَ أُمِّهِ، فَرَكَعُوا عَلَى الأرْضِ ساجِدِينَ لَهُ. ثُمَّ فَتَحُوا صَنادِيقَ كُنُوزِهِمْ، وَقَدَّمُوا لَهُ هَدايا: ذَهَباً وَبَخُوراً وَمُرّاً.

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Image Credits:

Cover: Wall background by designed by vvstudio / Freepik. Hay image designed by welcomia / Freepik. Image of Baby Jesus by Ian and Sue Coate; freeBibleillustrations.com. Used under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 International license.

Pages 1-8: Images of star, gifts, people and angels by Ian and Sue Coate; freeBibleillustrations.com. Used under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 International license.

Background image credits:

Page 1: public domain

Page 2: public domain

Page 3: designed by Freepik

Page 4: public domain

Page 5: public domain

Page 6: public domain

Page 7: public domain

Page 8: Wall background by designed by vvstudio / Freepik. Hay image designed by welcomia / Freepik.

Text Credits:

Adapted from Open Bible Stories, by Unfolding Word. Used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Added content in English (on pages 1,2 & 8) is from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Arabic Bible verses on these pages are from the ARABIC BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center, Inc. and used by permission.