Matthew 2
2
The Visit of the Wise Men
1In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men#2.1 Or astrologers; Gk magi from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising,#2.2 Or in the East and have come to pay him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah#2.4 Or the Christ was to be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
6‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd#2.6 Or rule my people Israel.’ ”
7Then Herod secretly called for the wise men#2.7 Or astrologers; Gk magi and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising,#2.9 Or in the East until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star had stopped,#2.10 Gk saw the star they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
The Escape to Egypt
13Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14Then Joseph#2.14 Gk he got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”
The Massacre of the Infants
16When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men,#2.16 Or astrologers; Gk magi he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.#2.16 Or astrologers; Gk magi 17Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
18“A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
The Return from Egypt
19When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20“Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead.” 21Then Joseph#2.21 Gk he got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”
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Matthew 2: NRSV
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Matthew 2
2
1Now Jesus having been born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, behold magi from the east arrived at Jerusalem, saying, 2Where is the king of the Jews that has been born? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to do him homage. 3But Herod the king having heard of it, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and, assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born. 5And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judaea; for thus it is written through the prophet: 6And thou Bethlehem, land of Juda, art in no wise the least among the governors of Juda; for out of thee shall go forth a leader who shall shepherd my people Israel. 7Then Herod, having secretly called the magi, inquired of them accurately the time of the star that was appearing; 8and having sent them to Bethlehem, said, Go, search out accurately concerning the child, and when ye shall have found him bring me back word, so that I also may come and do him homage.
9And they having heard the king went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went before them until it came and stood over the place where the little child was. 10And when they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11And having come into the house they saw the little child with Mary his mother, and falling down did him homage. And having opened their treasures, they offered to him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12And being divinely instructed in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13Now, they having departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph, saying, Arise, take to thee the little child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I shall tell thee; for Herod will seek the little child to destroy it. 14And, having arisen, he took to him the little child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt. 15And he was there until the death of Herod, that that might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16Then Herod, seeing that he had been mocked by the magi, was greatly enraged; and sent and slew all the boys which were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years and under, according to the time which he had accurately inquired from the magi. 17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremias the prophet, saying, 18A voice has been heard in Rama, weeping, and great lamentation: Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19But Herod having died, behold, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20Arise, take to thee the little child and its mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they who sought the life of the little child are dead. 21And he arose and took to him the little child and its mother, and came into the land of Israel; 22but having heard that ‘Archelaus reigns over Judaea, instead of Herod his father,’ he was afraid to go there; and having been divinely instructed in a dream, he went away into the parts of Galilee, 23and came and dwelt in a town called Nazareth; so that that should be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, He shall be called a Nazaraene.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.