Faith Expressions

The Birth of Jesus Christ and Philately - Part I

This article consists of Bible verses about the birth of Jesus Christ and of images taken from philatelic items such as stamps, first day covers (FDC) and aerogram. The quoted Bible verses are represented by these philatelic items which are placed inside frames. There are two sets of frames with images from philatelic items: the small black frames and large silver-black frames. These sets are presented separately. The philatelic items that were used are the following:

  • Anguilla 1972 stamp with 20 cents denomination
  • Anguilla 1972 stamp with 25 cents denomination
  • Anguilla 1972 stamp with 40 cents denomination
  • Australia 1975 stamp with 15 denomination
  • Australia 1993 aerogramme with 70c face value
  • Cayman Islands 1979 stamp with 20c denomination
  • Cayman Islands 1979 stamp with 40c denomination
  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1983 stamp with 24c denomination
  • France 1970 first day cover with 1 stamp
  • Hungary 1990 stamp with 5Ft denomination
  • Malta 1966 first day cover with 3 stamps
  • Panama 1999 first day cover with 1 stamp
  • Philippines 1979 stamp with 75s denomination
  • Philippines 1979 stamp with P1.00 denomination
  • Philippines 1979 stamp with P4.00 denomination
  • Philippines 1979 stamp with P4.75 denomination
  • Spain 1985 stamp with 17pta denomination
  • Spain 1985 stamp with 45pta denomination
  • Swaziland 1978 stamp with 15c denomination

All the philatelic items have Christmas or the birth of Jesus Christ as their main topic; the quoted Bible verses are taken from the Bible NIV® 2011, the Bible CSB 2018, the Bible NASB 2000, and the Bibles NLT 1997, 2007 and 2016.

Image for Bible Verse Micah 5:2; The STAR of BETHLEHEM
The STAR of BETHLEHEM

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.”

 

(Micah 5:2 / NLT 2016 / Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Luke 1:26-33; The ANNOUNCEMENT of the BIRTH of JESUS CHRIST
The ANNUNCIATION / The ANNOUNCEMENT of the BIRTH of JESUS CHRIST

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ’Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’”

 

“Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ’Do not be afraid Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.’”

 

(Luke 1:26-33 / NIV® 2011 / Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Luke 1:39-45; The VISIT of MARY to ELIZABETH’S HILL COUNTRY
The VISITATION / The VISIT of MARY to ELIZABETH’S HILL COUNTRY

“In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she exclaimed with a loud cry: ’Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her.’”

 

(Luke 1:39-45 / CSB 2018 / Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Matthew 1:18-21; The DREAM of JOSEPH
The DREAM of JOSEPH

“…Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”

 

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ’Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’”

 

(Matthew 1:18-19 / NIV® 2011) / (Matthew 1:20-21 / NIV® 2011) / (Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Matthew 1:22-23; The PROPHECY
The PROPHECY

“Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ’See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated {God is with us}.’”

 

(Matthew 1:22-23 / CSB 2018 / Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Matthew 1:23 and Isaiah 7:14; The PROPHECIES
The PROPHECIES

“See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated ’God is with us’.”

 

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ’God is with us.’).”

 

(Matthew 1:23 / CSB 2018) / (Isaiah 7:14 / NLT 2007) / (Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Luke 2:1-5; The JOURNEY to BETHLEHEM
The JOURNEY to BETHLEHEM

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.”

 

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.”

 

(Luke 2:1-3 / CSB 2018) / (Luke 2: 4-5 / NIV®) / (Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Luke 2:4-7 and John 1:14; The BIRTH of JESUS in BETHLEHEM
The BIRTH of JESUS in BETHLEHEM

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her first-born, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and place him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”

 

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

 

(Luke 2:4-7 / NIV® 2011) / (John 1:14 / NIV® 2011) / (Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Luke 2:8-12; The GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY
The GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ’Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’”

 

(Luke 2:8-12 / NIV® 2011 / Underscoring Supplied)

First Image for Bible Verses Luke 2:13-14; The GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY
The GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY

Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ’Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!’”

 

(Luke 2:13-14 / CSB 2018 / Underscoring Supplied)

Second Image for Bible Verses Luke 2:13-14; CELEBRATIONS about the GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY
CELEBRATIONS about the GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY

“Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ’Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!’”

 

(Luke 2:13-14 / CSB 2018 / Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Luke 2:15-20; CELEBRATIONS about the GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY
CELEBRATIONS about the GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY

“When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, ’Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”

 

(Luke 2:15-20 / NASB 2000 / Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verse Luke 2:21; JESUS
JESUS

“And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.”

 

(Luke 2:21 / NASB 2000 / Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Matthew 2:1-5 and  Micah 5:2; ARRIVAL of the WISE MEN
ARRIVAL of the WISE MEN

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ’Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, ’In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet….’”

 

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.”

 

(Matthew 2:1-5 / NASB 2000 / (Micah 5:2 / NLT 2016) / (Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verse Matthew 2:9; The WISE MEN and the STAR
The WISE MEN and the STAR

“After this interview [with Herod] the wise men [magi] went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.”

 

(Matthew 2:9 / NLT 1997 / Underscoring Supplied)

Image for Bible Verses Matthew 2:10-12; VISIT of the WISE MEN
VISIT of the WISE MEN

“When they [wise men or magi] saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.”

 

(Matthew 2:10-12 / NLT 1997 / Underscoring Supplied)