▁birth ▁around ▁ 2 ▁BC , ▁respectively . ▁ ▁Bib lic al ▁references ▁to ▁King ▁Her od ' s ▁reign ▁The ▁two ▁n ativity ▁accounts ▁of ▁Jesus ▁in ▁the ▁G ospel ▁of ▁Matthew ▁and ▁G ospel ▁of ▁Luke ▁differ ▁substantial ly ▁from ▁each ▁other , ▁and ▁are ▁considered ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁written ▁independently . ▁However , ▁some ▁consistent ▁elements ▁are ▁evidently ▁derived ▁from ▁a ▁common ▁early ▁tradition : ▁Jesus ▁was ▁born ▁under ▁the ▁J ude an ▁king ▁Her od ▁the ▁Great ▁( M att hew ▁ 2 : 1 f ; ▁Luke ▁ 1 : 5 ▁vs ▁Luke ▁ 2 : 1 f ) ▁in ▁Beth le hem ▁( M att hew ▁ 2 : 5 f ; ▁Luke ▁ 2 : 4 . 1 5 ) ▁prior ▁to ▁his ▁parents ▁moving ▁to ▁Naz are th ▁( M att hew ▁ 2 : 2 2 f ), ▁or ▁before ▁their ▁return ▁to ▁Naz are th ▁( Lu ke ▁ 2 , 3 9 ). ▁Jesus ' ▁parents ▁Mary ▁and ▁Joseph ▁were ▁bet ro th ed ▁( M att hew ▁ 1 : 1 8 – 2 0 ; ▁Luke ▁ 1 : 2 7 ; ▁ 2 : 5 ). ▁ ▁His ▁birth ▁was ▁a ▁vir gin ▁birth ▁conce ived ▁by ▁the ▁Holy ▁Spirit . ▁ ▁Ang els ▁announced ▁Jesus ' ▁birth , ▁his ▁name , ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁the ▁Mess iah ▁( be ing ▁a ▁desc endant ▁of ▁King ▁David ▁and ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁God ), ▁and ▁his ▁mission ▁to ▁save ▁his