Matthew 2
2
Wise Men Visit Jesus
1Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea while Herod was king. Wise men then came from the east to Jerusalem 2and asked, “Where is the child who has been born as the new king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose, and now we’ve come to worship him.”
3When King Herod heard about this, he became very concerned, as did everyone else in Jerusalem. 4He called together all the Jewish chief priests and teachers of the law to ask them where the Messiah was going to be born. 5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “because this is what the prophet has written:
6“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are certainly not the least important of the rulers in Judah.
A ruler will come out of you
who will care for my people Israel like a shepherd.’ ”
7Then Herod spoke privately with the wise men and found out exactly when the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and told them, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, send word to me so I can come and worship him too.”
9After the king had given them these orders, the wise men went on their way. The star they’d seen when it rose went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. 11The wise men went into the house, and there they saw the child with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him, and then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12But because they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by a different way.
Jesus’ Family Escapes to Egypt
13After the wise men had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt! Stay there until I tell you to come back, because Herod is going to try to find the child and kill him.”
14So Joseph got up in the night and left for Egypt with the child and his mother. 15They all stayed there until King Herod died. This made the words that the Lord had spoken through the prophet come true: “I called my son out of Egypt.”
16When Herod realized that the wise men had tricked him, he became very angry. He gave orders to kill all the boys two years old and younger who were living in Bethlehem and the area around it. This was because the wise men had first seen the star two years earlier. 17This made the words of Jeremiah the prophet come true. He had said,
18“A voice is heard in Ramah,
the sound of crying and deep sadness.
Rachel is crying over her children
and she refuses to be comforted,
because they are gone.”
Jesus’ Family Returns to Nazareth
19After this Herod died, and Joseph, who was still in Egypt, had a dream. An angel of the Lord appeared to him 20and said, “Get up! Take the child and his mother and go back to the land of Israel, because the people who were trying to kill him are dead.”
21So Joseph got up and took the child and his mother back to the land of Israel. 22But when he learned that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, he was afraid to go there. He was warned in a dream, and he went back to the land of Galilee instead. 23There he lived in a town called Nazareth. The prophets had said that Jesus would be called a Nazarene, and in this way their words came true.
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Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 2
2
SEEKERS OF WISDOM
1It was during the days of the bad-hearted Chief Looks Brave (Herod) that the Chosen One was born in the village of House of Bread (Bethlehem) in the Land of Promise (Judea). After his birth, Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) traveling on a long journey from the East came to Village of Peace (Jerusalem).
2They began to ask around, “Where is the one who has been born to be chief of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel)? We saw his star where the sun rises and have come to humble ourselves before him and honor him.”
3When Chief Looks Brave heard this, he and all who lived in Village of Peace (Jerusalem) were troubled. 4He called a council of all the head holy men and scroll keepers and asked them where the Chosen One was to be born.
5“In House of Bread (Bethlehem), the village of the great chief Much Loved One (David),” they answered. “This is what the ancient prophet said: 6‘But you, O House of Bread (Bethlehem), in the Land of Promise (Judea), even though you are small, you have a good reputation with the chiefs who watch over the land. From you will come a Great Chief who will guide my chosen people—the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel).’#2:6 Micah 5:2”
7Then Looks Brave (Herod) called a secret council with the Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) to find out when the star first appeared. 8He then sent them to House of Bread (Bethlehem) and told them, “Look everywhere for the child. Find him and tell me where he is, so that I may also come and honor him.”
9After listening to Looks Brave (Herod), the Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) went their way. 10When they saw the star rising in the East, they jumped with joy, and with glad hearts they followed until the star stopped and rested over the place where the child was. 11They went into the house and saw the child and his mother, Bitter Tears (Mary). As soon as they saw the child, they bowed down to honor him. Then they opened their bundles and gifted him with gold, sweet-smelling incense, and bitter ointment of myrrh.
ESCAPE TO BLACK LAND
12The Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) were warned in a dream not to go back to Looks Brave (Herod), so they returned to their homeland by a different road.
13After the Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) had gone, a spirit-messenger from Creator warned He Gives Sons (Joseph) in a dream. “Rise up!” he said urgently. “Take the child and his mother and go quickly to Black Land (Egypt) and remain there until I tell you to leave. Looks Brave (Herod) is searching for the child to kill him!”
14That night He Gives Sons (Joseph) took the child and his mother, and they fled for their lives to Black Land (Egypt). 15They remained there until the death of Looks Brave (Herod). This gave full meaning to Creator’s ancient prophecy: “I will call my son out from Black Land (Egypt).”#2:15 Hosea 11:1
16When Looks Brave (Herod) realized he had been outsmarted by the Seekers of Wisdom (Magi), he was full of rage. Using the knowledge he had gained from them, he gave orders for all male children in House of Bread (Bethlehem) under two winters of age to be put to death. 17This gave full meaning to another ancient prophecy spoken by Lifted by Creator (Jeremiah): 18“A sound of weeping and wailing is heard in Highland (Ramah). Sheep Woman (Rachel) is shedding tears for her children. No one can bring her peace, because her children have been taken from the land of the living.”#2:18 Jeremiah 31:15
DREAM GUIDANCE
19After Looks Brave (Herod) died, a spirit-messenger from Creator appeared again to He Gives Sons (Joseph) in a dream while he was still in Black Land (Egypt). 20The spirit-messenger said to him, “Get up and take the child and his mother back to the land of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel), for the ones who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21He Gives Sons (Joseph) got up, took the child and his mother, and began to go where he was told. 22On the way, when he heard that Rules the People (Archelaus), the son of Chief Looks Brave (Herod), had become the new chief, he became afraid.
After being warned in another dream, he took a different path to their home through Circle of Nations (Galilee), 23to an out-of-the-way village most people looked down on, called Seed Planter Village (Nazareth). This gave full meaning to the words of the prophets, “He will be called a Seed Planter (Nazarene).”
Many long winters had come and gone. Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was now thirty winters old—a mature man. The People of Iron (Romans) had many new rulers and governors, and the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) had a new chief holy man for the sacred lodge.
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