Matthew 2
New Matthew Bible
The time and place of Christ’s birth. The wise men offer their presents. Christ flees into Egypt. The young children are slain. Christ turns in to Galilee.
2 When Jesus was born at Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? We have seen 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 he gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 And they said to him, At Bethlehem in Judea. For thus it is written by the prophet: 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of you shall come the leader who will govern my people Israel.
7 Then Herod privately called the wise men and carefully enquired of them when the star had appeared, 8 and 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 come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed. And lo, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were marvellously glad, 11 and went into the house and found the child with Mary his mother, and kneeled down and worshipped him, and opened their treasures and offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And after they were warned by God in a dream that they should not go again to Herod, they returned into their own country another way.
13 When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there till I bring you word. For Herod will seek the child to kill him.
14 Then he arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, to fulfil that which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, which says, Out of Egypt have I called my Son.
16 Then Herod, perceiving that the wise men had gotten around him, was exceedingly angry, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem and in all its vicinity – as many as were two years old and under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 18 On the hills a voice was heard, mourning, weeping, and great lamentation: Rachel weeping for her children. And she would not be comforted, because they were no more.
19 When Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. For they are dead who sought the child’s life.
21 Then he arose up and took the child and his mother, and came into 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. After he was warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee, 23 and went and dwelt in a village called Nazareth, to fulfil that which was spoken by the prophets: He shall be called a Nazarite.
Matthew 2
Expanded Bible
Wise Men Come to Visit Jesus
2 ·When [After] Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king, some ·wise men [astrologers; magi; C a class of wise men and priests who practiced astrology] from the east came to Jerusalem. 2 They asked, “Where is the ·baby who was born to be the king [or newborn king] of the Jews? We saw his star ·in the east [or when it rose] and have come to ·worship him [pay him homage].”
3 When King Herod heard this, he was ·troubled [very disturbed; frightened], as were all the people in Jerusalem. 4 Herod ·called a meeting of [assembled] all the ·leading [T chief] priests and ·teachers of the law [scribes] and ·asked [inquired of] them where the ·Christ [Messiah] would be born. 5 They answered, “In the town of Bethlehem in Judea. ·The prophet wrote about this in the Scriptures [L For so it has been written by the prophet]:
6 ‘·But [or And] you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are ·not just an insignificant village in [L by no means least among the rulers/ruling cities of] Judah [Mic. 5:2].
[L For; Because] A ruler will come from you
who will ·be like a shepherd for [L shepherd] my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod ·had a secret meeting with [privately summoned] the ·wise men [astrologers; magi; v. 1] and ·learned [inquired] from them the exact time ·they first saw the star [the star appeared]. 8 He sent the ·wise men [astrologers; magi] to Bethlehem, saying, “·Look [Go and search] carefully for the child. When you find him, ·come tell [report to] me so I can [L go and] ·worship [pay homage to] him too.”
9 After the ·wise men [astrologers; magi] ·heard [listened to; had their interview with] the king, they ·left [went on their way; set out]. [L And look] The star that they had seen ·in the east [or when it rose] went ·before [ahead of] them until it ·stopped [stood] above the place where the child was. 10 When the ·wise men [astologers; magi] saw the star, they ·were filled with joy [were overjoyed; L rejoiced with exceedingly great joy]. 11 They ·came to [entered] the house where the child was and saw him with his mother, Mary, and they ·bowed down [knelt; L fell] and ·worshiped [paid homage to] him. They opened their ·gifts [treasure chests; treasures] and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 ·But God warned the wise men [L Being warned; C the passive verb implies God as subject] in a dream not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their own country by a different way.
Jesus’ Parents Take Him to Egypt
13 After they left, an angel of the Lord ·came [appeared] to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the child and his mother and ·escape [flee] to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is ·starting [intending; going] to ·look [search] for the child so he can kill him.”
14 So Joseph got up and left for Egypt during the night with the child and his mother. 15 And Joseph stayed in Egypt until Herod died. This happened to ·bring about [fulfill] what the Lord had said through the prophet: “I called my son out of Egypt [Hos. 11:1; C Jesus fulfills the role of Israel by leading a spiritual Exodus].”
Herod Kills the Baby Boys
16 When Herod saw that the ·wise men [astologers; magi] had ·tricked [outwitted; outsmarted] him, he was furious. So he ·gave an order [or sent soldiers] to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem and in the surrounding area who were two years old or younger. This was ·in keeping with [based on] the time he learned from the ·wise men [astologers; magi]. 17 ·So [Then] what ·God had said [L was spoken; C the passive verb implies God as subject] through the prophet Jeremiah ·came true [was fulfilled]:
18 “A ·voice [cry; sound] was heard in Ramah [C the sending point from which the Jews went into exile to Babylon; Jer. 40:1]
·of painful crying [weeping] and ·deep sadness [great mourning/lamentation]:
Rachel ·crying [weeping] for her children.
She refused to be comforted,
because ·her children are dead [L they are no more; Jer. 31:15].”
Joseph and Mary Return
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord ·spoke [appeared] to Joseph in a dream while he was in Egypt. 20 The angel said, “Get up! Take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, because the people who were ·trying to kill [L seeking the life of] the child are now dead.”
21 So Joseph [L got up,] took the child and his mother and ·went [returned] to Israel. 22 But he heard that Archelaus [C reigned from 4 bc to ad 6] was now ·king [reigning] in Judea ·since his father Herod had died [L in place of his father Herod]. So Joseph was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he ·went [withdrew] to the ·area [region; district] of Galilee, 23 to a town called Nazareth, and lived there. And so what ·God had said [was spoken; C the passive verb implies God as subject] through the prophets ·came true [was fulfilled]: “He will be called a Nazarene [C a person from the town of Nazareth; perhaps a reference to Is. 11:1, where the Hebrew word translated “branch” sounds like “Nazarene”].”
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.