# 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"

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/caesar]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/decree]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/census]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/rome]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/governor]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/syria]]