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Matthew 2-4
New American Standard Bible

The Visit of the Magi

2 Now after Jesus was (A)born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of (B)Herod the king, behold, [a]magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born (C)King of the Jews? For we saw (D)His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the [b]Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “(E)In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written [c]by [d]the prophet:

6 ‘(F)And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For from you will come forth a Ruler
Who will (G)shepherd My people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact [e]time (H)the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went on their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on ahead of them until it came to a stop over the place where the Child was to be found. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with (I)His mother Mary; and they fell down and [f](J)worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And after being (K)warned by God (L)in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

The Escape to Egypt

13 Now when they had gone, behold, an (M)angel of the Lord *(N)appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”

14 So [g]Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15 He [h]stayed there until the death of Herod; this happened so that what had been spoken by the Lord through [i]the prophet would be fulfilled: “(O)Out of Egypt I called (P)My Son.”

Herod Slaughters Babies

16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by (Q)the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and (R)killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity [j]who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 “(S)A voice was heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
And she refused to be comforted,
Because they were no more.”

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *(T)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 sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 So [k]Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being (U)warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23 and came and settled in a city called (V)Nazareth. This happened so that what was spoken through the prophets would be fulfilled: “He will be called a (W)Nazarene.”

The Preaching of John the Baptist

3 Now (X)in those days (Y)John the Baptist *[l]came, [m]preaching in the (Z)wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “(AA)Repent, for (AB)the kingdom of heaven [n]is at hand.” 3 For this is the (AC)one referred to [o]by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

“(AD)The voice of one [p]calling [q]out in the wilderness,
‘(AE)Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”

4 Now John himself had [r](AF)a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was (AG)locusts and wild honey. 5 At that time Jerusalem (AH)was going out to him, and all Judea and all (AI)the region around the Jordan; 6 and they were being (AJ)baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the (AK)Pharisees and (AL)Sadducees coming for [s]baptism, he said to them, “You [t](AM)offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from (AN)the wrath to come? 8 (AO)Therefore produce fruit (AP)consistent with repentance; 9 and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘(AQ)We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham. 10 And the (AR)axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, (AS)every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, (AT)I baptize you [u]with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; (AU)He will baptize you [v]with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His (AV)winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will (AW)gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the (AX)chaff with (AY)unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 (AZ)Then Jesus *arrived (BA)from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?” 15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us (BB)to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *allowed Him. 16 After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and [w](BC)he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and [x]settling on Him, 17 and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “(BD)This is [y]My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

4 (BE)Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness (BF)to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had (BG)fasted for forty days and forty nights, He [z]then became hungry. 3 And (BH)the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the (BI)Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘(BJ)Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil *took Him along into (BK)the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and he *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written:

‘(BL)He will give His angels orders concerning You’;

and

‘On their hands they will lift You up,
So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him, “[aa]On the other hand, it is written: ‘(BM)You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 (BN)Again, the devil *took Him along to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “(BO)All these things I will give You, if You fall down and [ab]worship me.” 10 Then Jesus *said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘(BP)You shall worship the Lord your God, and [ac]serve Him only.’” 11 Then the devil *left Him; and behold, (BQ)angels came and began to serve Him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

12 Now when Jesus heard that (BR)John had been taken into custody, (BS)He withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and (BT)settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled:

15 “(BU)The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
[ad]By the way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the [ae]Gentiles—
16 (BV)The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light,
And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,
Upon them a Light dawned.”

17 (BW)From that time Jesus began to [af]preach and say, “(BX)Repent, for the kingdom of heaven [ag]is at hand.”

The First Disciples

18 (BY)Now as Jesus was walking by (BZ)the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, (CA)Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He *said to them, “[ah]Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, [ai](CB)James the son of Zebedee, and his brother [aj]John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Ministry in Galilee

23 Jesus was going (CC)about in all of Galilee, (CD)teaching in their synagogues and (CE)proclaiming the [ak]gospel of the kingdom, and (CF)healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

24 And the news about Him spread (CG)throughout Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and severe pain, (CH)demon-possessed, people with (CI)epilepsy, and people who were (CJ)paralyzed; and He healed them. 25 Large crowds (CK)followed Him from Galilee and (CL)the Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and from (CM)beyond the Jordan.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 2:1 A caste of educated men specializing in astronomy, astrology, and natural science
  2. Matthew 2:4 From Gr Christos, which means Messiah (Heb for Anointed One)
  3. Matthew 2:5 Or through
  4. Matthew 2:5 I.e., Micah
  5. Matthew 2:7 Lit time of the appearing star
  6. Matthew 2:11 Lit prostrated themselves to; i.e., lay face down in a prone position to indicate worship
  7. Matthew 2:14 Lit he
  8. Matthew 2:15 Lit was
  9. Matthew 2:15 I.e., Hosea
  10. Matthew 2:16 Lit from two...and under
  11. Matthew 2:21 Lit he
  12. Matthew 3:1 Or arrived; or appeared
  13. Matthew 3:1 Or proclaiming as a herald
  14. Matthew 3:2 Lit has come near
  15. Matthew 3:3 Or through
  16. Matthew 3:3 Or shouting
  17. Matthew 3:3 Or out, Prepare in the wilderness the way
  18. Matthew 3:4 Lit his garment
  19. Matthew 3:7 Later mss his baptism
  20. Matthew 3:7 Or brood
  21. Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with, or by
  22. Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with, or by
  23. Matthew 3:16 Or He
  24. Matthew 3:16 Lit coming upon Him
  25. Matthew 3:17 Or My Son, the Beloved
  26. Matthew 4:2 Or later became; or afterward became
  27. Matthew 4:7 Or Again
  28. Matthew 4:9 Lit prostrate Yourself to
  29. Matthew 4:10 Or fulfill religious duty to Him
  30. Matthew 4:15 Or Toward the sea
  31. Matthew 4:15 Lit nations, usually non-Jewish
  32. Matthew 4:17 Or proclaim
  33. Matthew 4:17 Lit has come near
  34. Matthew 4:19 Or Come after Me
  35. Matthew 4:21 Or Jacob
  36. Matthew 4:21 Gr Joannes, for Heb Johanan
  37. Matthew 4:23 Or good news
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Matthew 2-4
New International Version

The Magi Visit the Messiah

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,(A) during the time of King Herod,(B) Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?(C) We saw his star(D) when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem(E) in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”(F)

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.(G) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts(H) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned(I) in a dream(J) not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The Escape to Egypt

13 When they had gone, an angel(K) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.(L) “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”(M)

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled(N) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[c](O)

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:(P)

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel(Q) weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”[d](R)

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel(S) of the Lord appeared in a dream(T) to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”(U)

21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream,(V) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,(W) 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.(X) So was fulfilled(Y) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(Z)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way(AA)

3 In those days John the Baptist(AB) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(AC) has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[e](AD)

4 John’s(AE) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.(AF) His food was locusts(AG) and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized(AH) by him in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!(AI) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(AJ) 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(AK) 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(AL) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(AM)

11 “I baptize you with[f] water for repentance.(AN) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[g] the Holy Spirit(AO) and fire.(AP) 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(AQ)

The Baptism of Jesus(AR)

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.(AS) 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened,(AT) and he saw the Spirit of God(AU) descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven(AV) said, “This is my Son,(AW) whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”(AX)

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness(AY)

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[h](AZ) by the devil.(BA) 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights,(BB) he was hungry. 3 The tempter(BC) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,(BD) tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[i]”(BE)

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city(BF) and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,”(BG) he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[j]”(BH)

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[k]”(BI)

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!(BJ) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[l]”(BK)

11 Then the devil left him,(BL) and angels came and attended him.(BM)

Jesus Begins to Preach

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,(BN) he withdrew to Galilee.(BO) 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,(BP) which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill(BQ) what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
    the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
    Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
    a light has dawned.”[m](BR)

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(BS) has come near.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples(BT)

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee,(BU) he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter(BV) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,”(BW) Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.(BX)

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.(BY) They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.(BZ)

Jesus Heals the Sick

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee,(CA) teaching in their synagogues,(CB) proclaiming the good news(CC) of the kingdom,(CD) and healing every disease and sickness among the people.(CE) 24 News about him spread all over Syria,(CF) and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed,(CG) those having seizures,(CH) and the paralyzed;(CI) and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[n] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.(CJ)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 2:1 Traditionally wise men
  2. Matthew 2:6 Micah 5:2,4
  3. Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1
  4. Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:15
  5. Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3
  6. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  7. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  8. Matthew 4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
  9. Matthew 4:4 Deut. 8:3
  10. Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11,12
  11. Matthew 4:7 Deut. 6:16
  12. Matthew 4:10 Deut. 6:13
  13. Matthew 4:16 Isaiah 9:1,2
  14. Matthew 4:25 That is, the Ten Cities
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