# General Information: This gives background to show why Mary and Joseph have to move for the birth of Jesus. # Now This word marks the beginning of a new part of the story. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-newevent]]) # it came about that This phrase is used to show that this is the beginning of an account. If your language has a way of showing the start of an account, you may use that. Some versions do not include this phrase. # Caesar Augustus "King Augustus" or "Emperor Augustus." Augustus was the first emperor of the Roman Empire. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-participants]]) # sent out a decree ordering This command was probably carried by messengers throughout the empire. AT: "sent messengers with a decree ordering" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) # that a census be taken of all the people living in the world This can be stated in active form. AT: "that they register all the people living in the world" or "that they count all the people in the world and write down their names" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) # the world Here the word "world" represents only the part of the world that Caesar August ruled. AT: "the Empire" or "the Roman world" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) # Quirinius Quirinius was appointed to be the governor of Syria. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) # everyone went "everyone started off" or "everyone was going" # his own city This refers to the cities where people's ancestors lived. People may have lived in a different city. AT: "the city in which his ancestors lived" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) # to be registered for the census "to have their names written in the register" or "to be included in the official count"