Our family version we called, "Down Came an Angel," a line from one of the verses that we loved. From our singing,this variant was first published in 1940 by Lynn Rohbough, of the Cooperative Recreation Service in Delaware, OH (now acquired by, World Around Songs, has a different address). My first recording of it was I believe on the Tradition album, "Carols of All Seasons," in 1959. It has been in other books and recordings since then- anyway, here are our words. I'll give the form of the verse in the first one:

DOWN CAME AN ANGEL

Christ was born in Bethlehem
Christ was born in Bethlehem
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.
    And in a manger lay,
    And in a manger lay,
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.

Judas he betrayed Him (2 lines)
Judas he betrayed Him- they nailed Him to the tree.

Joseph begged His body (2 lines)
Joseph begged His body, and laid it in the tomb.

Tomb it would not hold Him (2 lines)
Tomb it would not hold Him, He burst the bands of death.

Down came an angel, (2 lines)
Down came an angel and rolled the stone away.

Mary she came weeping (2 lines)
Mary she came weeping her blessed Lord to see.

What's the matter, Mary? (2 lines)
What's the matter, Mary? They stole my Lord away.

Run and tell your brethern (2 lines)
Run and tell your brethern, He's risen from the dead.

A few years ago, when I was playing in, "The Christmas Revels" in Cambridge, I wrote more Christmas verses to make it appropriate for the season, as the original version goes directly to the Easter story after the first verse. This later Christmas version in on my 1987 CD, "Kentucky Christmas Old and New," (Greenhays-can find it on my website,www.jeanritchie.com). Hope this helps.    Jean Ritchie

PS: We always understood that this is a waits carol, sung with a leader and the rest give the 2nd line back, etc. An answer-back sort of performance.   J.

Edna Ritchie recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBwpcTzHPww