Matthew 2
Contemporary English Version
The Wise Men
2 When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and said, “Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east[b] and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard about this, he was worried, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem. 4 Herod brought together the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them, “Where will the Messiah be born?”
5 They told him, “He will be born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet wrote,
6 (A) ‘Bethlehem in the land
of Judea,
you are very important
among the towns of Judea.
From your town
will come a leader,
who will be like a shepherd
for my people Israel.’ ”
7 Herod secretly called in the wise men and asked them when they had first seen the star. 8 He told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, let me know. I also want to go and worship him.”
9 The wise men listened to what the king said and then left. And the star they had seen in the east went on ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 They were thrilled and excited to see the star.
11 When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him. They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh[c] and gave them to him. 12 Later they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they went back home by another road.
The Escape to Egypt
13 After the wise men had gone, an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Hurry and take the child and his mother to Egypt! Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is looking for the child and wants to kill him.”
14 That night, Joseph got up and took his wife and the child to Egypt, 15 (B) where they stayed until Herod died. So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, “I called my son out of Egypt.”
The Killing of the Children
16 When Herod found out that the wise men from the east had tricked him, he was very angry. He gave orders for his men to kill all the boys who lived in or near Bethlehem and were two years old and younger. This was based on what he had learned from the wise men.
17 So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet Jeremiah had said,
18 (C) “In Ramah a voice was heard
crying and weeping loudly.
Rachel was mourning
for her children,
and she refused
to be comforted,
because they were dead.”
The Return from Egypt
19 After King Herod died, an angel from the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph while he was still in Egypt. 20 The angel said, “Get up and take the child and his mother back to Israel. The people who wanted to kill him are now dead.”
21 Joseph got up and left with them for Israel. 22 But when he heard that Herod's son Archelaus was now ruler of Judea, he was afraid to go there. Then in a dream he was told to go to Galilee, 23 (D) and they went to live there in the town of Nazareth. So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, “He will be called a Nazarene.”[d]
Footnotes
- 2.1 wise men: People famous for studying the stars.
- 2.2 his star in the east: Or “his star rise.”
- 2.11 frankincense, and myrrh: Frankincense was a valuable powder that was burned to make a sweet smell. Myrrh was a valuable sweet-smelling powder often used in perfume.
- 2.23 He will be called a Nazarene: The prophet who said this is not known.
马太福音 2
Chinese Standard Bible (Simplified)
博士寻访新王
2 在希律王的那些日子里，耶稣诞生在犹太的伯利恒。当时，有几个博士从东方来到耶路撒冷。 2 他们问：“生下来做犹太人之王的那一位在哪里？我们在东方看见了他的星，就来了要朝拜他。”
3 希律王听说了，就惊慌不安，全耶路撒冷的人也与他一起不安。 4 希律就召集了所有的祭司长和民间的经文士，向他们询问基督诞生在哪里。
5 他们对希律说：“在犹太的伯利恒，因为藉着先知有这样的记载：
7 于是，希律暗暗地召见了那几个博士，向他们仔细询问那颗星出现的时间， 8 然后打发他们前往伯利恒，说：“你们去仔细查问有关那孩子的事，一旦查出来了就向我报告，好让我也去拜他。”
9 他们听了王的话就去了。看哪，他们在东方看见的那颗星在前面引导他们，直到那孩子所在的地方，就在上头停住了。 10 他们看见那颗星，极其欢喜快乐。 11 他们进了屋子，看见那孩子与他的母亲玛丽亚在一起，就俯伏拜那孩子，然后打开他们的宝盒，把黄金、乳香和没药做为礼物献给他。 12 他们在梦中得了神的指示不要回到希律那里去，就从另一条路回到自己的家乡去了。
逃往埃及
13 那些博士离开以后，忽然主的一位天使在约瑟梦中显现，说：“起来，带着孩子和他的母亲逃往埃及，留在那里，直到我再指示你，因为希律要搜寻这孩子并杀害他。” 14 约瑟就起来，连夜带着孩子和他的母亲逃往埃及， 15 住在那里，直到希律死了。这是为要应验主藉着先知所说的话：“我从埃及召我的儿子出来。”[c]
屠杀婴孩
16 希律发现自己受了博士们的愚弄，就十分恼怒。于是，他按照从博士们那里所询问到的时间，派人把伯利恒城里和周围各个地区内两岁以下的男孩，全都杀了。 17 这就应验了藉着先知耶利米所说的话：
定居拿撒勒
19 希律死了以后，在埃及，忽然主的一位天使在约瑟梦中显现， 20 说：“起来，带着孩子和他的母亲回以色列地去，因为那些追索这孩子性命的人已经死了。” 21 约瑟就起来，带着孩子和他的母亲进了以色列地。 22 但是，听说亚基劳接续他父亲希律做了犹太王，约瑟就怕往那里去，而且他在梦中得了神的指示，就退到加利利地区， 23 来到一个叫拿撒勒的镇，住了下来。这是为要应验那藉着先知们所说的话：“他将被称为拿撒勒人。”
Matthew 2
New King James Version
Wise Men from the East
2 Now after (A)Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, [a]wise men (B)from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, (C)“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen (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 when he had gathered all (E)the chief priests and (F)scribes of the people together, (G)he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘But(H) you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
(I)Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the [b]wise men, determined from them what time the (J)star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, (K)they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned (L)in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
The Flight into Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, (M)“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
Massacre of the Innocents
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18 “A (N)voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”
The Home in Nazareth(O)
19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 (P)saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who (Q)sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a (R)dream, he turned aside (S)into the region of Galilee. 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called (T)Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled (U)which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 2:1 Gr. magoi
- Matthew 2:7 Gr. magoi
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Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
