According to the New Testament, Syrian Governor Quirinius called the Census, see Luke 2:1-7 below. Secular Historians note that Quirinius only called a census in 5 C.E., which would have been too late to be relevant for Jesus' birth.
Luke 2:1–7: In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
a census
Before going to Bethlehem, Joseph was living in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. He was engaged to Mary, who was also from Nazareth. Their journey to Bethlehem was prompted by a census ordered by the Roman authorities, which required them to return to their ancestral town for registration.
Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for the census because it was a requirement by the government for all residents to return to their ancestral hometowns to be counted.
No. They went because Casear ordered a CENSUS of all the people. A CENSUS is when the people are counted. Men had to take their wives and children, if they had them, to the city of their birth.
Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem , as it was told to go to their respective hometowns for the census.
Luke's Gospel says that Mary and Joseph had to travel from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea, and be counted there for the census. However, scholars say that not only was the census at the wrong time for the nativity story in Luke's Gospel, there would never have been a requirement for Mary and Joseph to travel from Galilee where they would be taxed, to Judea where any census record would have no value in ensuring the collection of taxes. They say that the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem simply did not happen.
Bethlehem was crowded during Mary and Joseph's arrival due to a census ordered by the Roman Empire, which required people to return to their ancestral towns for registration. Many families traveled to Bethlehem to comply with this decree, leading to an influx of visitors. As a result, accommodations were scarce, contributing to the difficulties Mary and Joseph faced upon their arrival.
Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to be counted in a census so they could be taxed.
Mary and Joseph were obliged to go to Bethlehem for the census by the Roman authorities. In a sense you could also say God led them, since it was ordained that Christ would be born in Bethlehem.
Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem to register because Joseph traced his lineage back to people from that city.
Are you referring to the census that luke mentions as the reason for why Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem? We have no historical record of such a census.
Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem because of a decree issued by Caesar Augustus that required everyone to return to their ancestral towns for a census. Since Joseph was of the lineage of David, he went to Bethlehem, the city of David, to register. Mary, who was pregnant, accompanied him on this journey. This trip ultimately led to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.