1 It was the time when Caesar Augustus issued a decree that there should be a census of everyone in the Roman Empire. 2 This was the first census under governor Quirinius of Syria. 3 So everybody went to their own city to be registered. 4 Joseph was descended from King David, so he left Nazareth in Galilee to go to Bethlehem, the city of David, in Judea. 5 He went to register there, together with Mary, who was pledged in marriage to him and expecting a baby. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him up in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because the inn had no rooms left.