Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem, where Mary gives birth and lays her son in a feeding trough. In the fields, an angel speaks to shepherds, and a heavenly army praises God. The shepherds go to see the baby. Read the story in simple English, with the real verses at the end.
14 words you will really use: they appear in the story and in the exercises, and come back for review in the next stories.
shepherd
a person who takes care of sheep
noun
field
open land for crops or animals
noun
angel
a messenger from God
noun
army
a large group of soldiers
noun
glory
great honor and brightness
noun
earth
the world; the ground under the sky
noun
thing
an object or an idea
noun
lay
to put someone or something down in a place (laid: put down)
verb
bring
to take or carry something to someone (brought: took or carried to someone)
verb
find
to see or get something you were looking for (found: saw or got it)
verb
speak
to say words (spoke: said words)
verb
tell
to give someone information in words (told: gave information)
verb
keep
to hold or continue to have something; kept in her heart: remembered
verb
lie
to rest with the body flat or stretched out (lay: rested like this)
verb
The moments of the story, in the order they happen.
Mary gives birth in Bethlehem and lays her son in a feeding trough.
An angel brings news of a birth to shepherds keeping watch at night.
The heavenly army speaks of glory and peace, and the shepherds set off for Bethlehem.
The shepherds find the baby and tell what they heard; Mary keeps the sayings in her heart.
The verse that closes the story, in the World English Bible. After 4 lessons, this is how you read it: the real text, with nothing simplified.
Luke 2:14 · WEB
“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
One detail about the scene, with the work it comes from.
How did Mary care for her son? Luke 2:7 says she wrapped him in bands of cloth. The Tyndale Open Study Notes on Luke 2:7 describe this as a common practice showing motherly love and care.
Source: World English Bible · Public domain; Tyndale Open Study Notes · CC BY-SA 4.0
First the whole story, in simple English with audio for every sentence. Then 4 short lessons, each with a piece of the story, a tip and exercises. At the end, the Bible verse and a little celebration.
Luke 2:4-20, from the World English Bible: the birth in Bethlehem and the shepherds’ visit.
He goes to enroll himself with Mary, because he belongs to the house and family of David (Luke 2:4-5).
She lays him in a feeding trough, because there is no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:7).
An angel of the Lord speaks to them. Then a multitude of the heavenly army appears, praising God (Luke 2:9-14).
They find Mary, Joseph and the baby, and publicize what was spoken to them about the child. Mary keeps the sayings in her heart; the shepherds return praising God (Luke 2:16-20).
Other questions:Do I need to know English?Does Biblup teach doctrine?
More stories from the New Testament course, in order.
25 sentences in simple English, with audio. The first lesson of the course needs no sign-up and no card.
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