So everybody went to their own city to be registered.
Ephron the Hittite was sitting there among his people. He replied to Abraham in the presence of the Hittites who were there at the town gate.
It was the time when Caesar Augustus issued a decree that there should be a census of everyone in the Roman Empire.
This was the first census under governor Quirinius of Syria.
Joseph was descended from King David, so he left Nazareth in Galilee to go to Bethlehem, the city of David, in Judea.
He went to register there, together with Mary, who was pledged in marriage to him and expecting a baby.
