Luke’s story in a new Australian version

Plain English Version

Here’s the beginning of Luke 2 in the Plain English Version, a translation for indigenous people.

Luke 2: Mary had a baby boy 

1-3 About the time that John was born, the biggest boss over all those countries was called Augustus. He sent a message to everyone in every country. He said, “The government bosses in every town have to write down everyone’s name on a big list, and make them pay tax money.” So everyone had to go back to their home town and put their names on the list there. (At that time a man called Quirinius was the government boss over Syria country.) 

Joseph belonged to the family of David, the man that was Israel’s big boss along time ago. David grew up in the town called Bethlehem, in Judea country, but Joseph lived in a town called Nazareth, in Galilee country. So Joseph had to go south to Bethlehem, to put his name on the right list. Joseph took Mary with him. She was his promised wife, and she was carrying a baby inside her atthat time. 

6-7 At Bethlehem they couldn’t find any room to stay in, so they had to sleep in the place where the animals ate their food. Then the time came for Mary to have her baby. She had her baby right there, and she wrapped him up in bits of cloth, just like mothers always did. And she put him down to sleep in an animal’s feed box. 

Men that looked after sheep saw baby Jesus 

Not far away, on that same night, some men were out in the grass lands looking after their sheep. Suddenly, an angel messenger from God stood there with them, and bright light from God was shining all around them, and they were very frightened. 10 But the angel said, “Don’t be frightened. I’ve got really good news for you, and good news for everyone in the world too. 11-12 Today a young woman had a baby boy over there in Bethlehem, in the place where David grew up. Go there, and you will find him. He is wrapped up in cloth, and lying in an animal’s feed box. Then you will know that this message is true. He is the one that is going to save you people. He is the Christ, the man that God promised to send to you, to be your leader.” 

13 Then suddenly a big mob of other angel messengers came from heaven, and they all praised God. They said, 

14 “God, you are really great there in heaven, and here on the earth, your people are quiet and happy. You are really good to your people.” 

15 Then the angels went back to heaven, and the men said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this baby that God just told us about.” 16 Then they went quickly, and they found Mary and Joseph, with the baby boy in an animal’s feed box, just like the angel said. 

17 After those men saw the baby, they talked to people about him, and theytold them the message that God’s angel gave them. 18 Everyone was surprised when they heard what those men said. 19 And Mary remembered their words, and she thought about them a lot. 20 As those men walked back to their sheep, they talked about how everything happened, just like God’s angel said. They said to God, “You are really great.” And they told everybody that God is great.

The Other Cheek story on the Plain English version

Read the Plain English Version