Matthew 1:18-20

Matthew 1:18-20 (CLV): Now Jesus Christ's birth was thus: At the espousal of His mother, Mary, to Joseph, ere their coming together, she was found pregnant by holy spirit. 19 Now Joseph, her husband, being just and not willing to hold her up to infamy, intended covertly to dismiss her. 20 Now at his brooding over these things, lo! a messenger of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, you may not be afraid to accept Mary, your wife, for that which is being generated in her is of holy spirit.

"espousal." That is, Mary was legally pledged to be married. She was "betrothed" but she and her husband were not yet living together.

"holy spirit." There is no article "the" in both cases of "holy spirit" in verses 18 and 20, due to the preposition ek is before the phrase making the definite article unnecessary. In this case, "holy spirit" is not a proper name or the person by whom, but the kind of influence: spirit as opposed to flesh.

See also: Luke 1:35.