Matthew 2
2
Wise Men Come to Visit Jesus
1Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. After Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. 2They asked people, “Where is the child who has been born to be the king of the Jews? We saw the star that shows he was born. We saw it rise in the sky in the east and have come to worship him.”
3When King Herod heard about this, it upset him as well as everyone else in Jerusalem. 4Herod called a meeting of all the leading Jewish priests and teachers of the law. He asked them where the Messiah would be born. 5They answered, “In the town of Bethlehem in Judea, just as the prophet wrote:
6‘Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
you are important among the rulers of Judah.
Yes, a ruler will come from you,
and that ruler will lead Israel, my people.’” Micah 5:2
7Then Herod had a private meeting with the wise men from the east. He learned from them the exact time they first saw the star. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem. He said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, come tell me. Then I can go worship him too.”
9After the wise men heard the king, they left. They saw the same star they had seen in the east, and they followed it. The star went before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 10They were very happy and excited to see the star.
11The wise men came to the house where the child was with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened the boxes of gifts they had brought for him. They gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12But God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went home to their own country a different way.
Jesus’ Parents Take Him to Egypt
13After the wise men left, an angel from the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. The angel said, “Get up! Take the child with his mother and escape to Egypt. Herod wants to kill the child and will soon start looking for him. Stay in Egypt until I tell you to come back.”
14So Joseph got ready and left for Egypt with the child and the mother. They left during the night. 15Joseph stayed in Egypt until Herod died. This gave full meaning to what the Lord said through the prophet: “I called my son to come out of Egypt.”#Quote from Hos. 11:1.
Herod Kills the Baby Boys in Bethlehem
16Herod saw that the wise men had fooled him, and he was very angry. So he gave an order to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem and the whole area around Bethlehem. Herod had learned from the wise men the time the baby was born. It was now two years from that time. So he said to kill all the boys who were two years old and younger. 17This gave full meaning to what God said through the prophet Jeremiah:
18“A sound was heard in Ramah—
bitter crying and great sadness.
Rachel cries for her children,
and she cannot be comforted,
because her children are gone.” Jeremiah 31:15
Joseph and Mary Return From Egypt
19While Joseph was in Egypt, Herod died. An angel from the Lord came to Joseph in a dream 20and said, “Get up! Take the child with his mother and go to Israel. Those who were trying to kill the child are now dead.”
21So Joseph took the child and the mother and went to Israel. 22But he heard that Archelaus was now king in Judea. Archelaus became king when his father Herod died. So Joseph was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he went away to the area of Galilee. 23He went to a town called Nazareth and lived there. This gave full meaning to what God said through the prophets. God said the Messiah#2:23 the Messiah Literally, “he.” See “Messiah” in the Word List. would be called a Nazarene.#2:23 Nazarene A person from the city of Nazareth. This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “branch.” So Matthew may be referring to the promise of a “branch” of David’s family. See Isa. 11:1.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
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.