2:12a

And this will be a sign to you: The angel gave the shepherds a sign to help them know that the baby was the Messiah. They needed a sign, because they would find the Messiah in an unusual place in humble conditions. Because it was so unusual to find a newborn baby in conditions such as those, the sign proved that the baby who had just been born in Bethlehem was Christ the Lord. Some ways to translate this are:

11bHe is Christ, the Lord. 12aLet this prove it to you: (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
Here is a sign ⌊that he is Christ the Lord⌋.
-or-
This will show that ⌊he is Christ the Lord⌋.

And this: The word this refers to what the angel was about to tell the shepherds in 2:12b–c, that the shepherds would find Christ wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

a sign: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sign refers to an unusual event/miracle that has a meaning or proves that something is true. In this context, it is unusual to find any baby lying in a manger, especially the Messiah! The angel gave this as proof that the baby, Jesus, was Christ the Lord.

2:12b

You will find a baby: The clause You will find a baby implies that the shepherds would first have to search for a baby. They would not accidentally find him.

wrapped in swaddling cloths: The phrase wrapped in swaddling cloths is the same expression as in 2:7a. It was a Jewish custom to wrap newborn babies in strips of cloth. This kept them warm, and it also kept their arms and legs straight.

If your language requires you to say who wrapped the baby in cloths, you may say that his mother did. For example:

You will find a baby ⌊whose mother⌋ has wrapped ⌊him⌋ in cloths.

2:12c

manger: A manger was a feeding box or trough for animals, especially for large animals such as cattle and horses. People made this feeding box out of wood or stone. The word manger also occurs in 2:7c.

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