There were some shepherds living in the same part of the country, keeping guard throughout the night over their flock in the open fields. Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood before them, the splendour of the Lord blazed around them, and they were terror-stricken. But the angel said to them,

“Do not be afraid!
Listen, I bring you glorious news of great joy which is for all the people.
This very day, in David’s town,
a Saviour has been born for you.
He is Christ, the Lord.

Let this prove it to you:
you will find a baby, wrapped up and lying in a manger.”

And in a flash there appeared with the angel a vast host of the armies of Heaven,
praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest Heaven!
Peace upon earth among men of goodwill!”

When the angels left them and went back into Heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Now let us go straight to Bethlehem and see this thing which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went as fast as they could and they found Mary and Joseph–and the baby lying in the manger. And when they had seen this sight, they told everybody what had been said to them about the little child. And all those who heard them were amazed at what the shepherds said. But Mary treasured all these things and turned them over in her mind. The shepherds went back to work, glorifying and praising God for everything that they had heard and seen, which had happened just as they had been told.

– Luke 2:8-20, The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition.
Translated by J. B. Phillips.