It came to pass back in those days that Caesar, he decreed  A census would be taken of the Roman world, you see  So everyone packed up and headed back to their home towns  And this couple up from Galilee to Bethlehem was bound    So it came to pass this man named Joe was with his fiance  Back when her pregnancy began to show he planned to go away  But it came to pass that in a dream an angel of the Lord  Said, "Joseph, don't you be afraid to marry Mary for  The little baby in her womb it is the Holy Spirit's work  You may have read the prophet said a virgin would give birth    So it came to pass that Joseph was the noblest of men  With a woman on a donkey on their way to Bethlehem  And I wonder whether either was aware enough that day  To know the child would bring a Kingdom   and the old would come to pass away    Yes, it came to pass that Joseph was the noblest of men  With a woman on a donkey on their way to Bethlehem