智者来朝拜

希律王执政期间,耶稣降生在犹太的伯利恒城。

当时有几位智者[a]从东方来到耶路撒冷, 问道:“那生来做犹太人之王的在哪里呢?我们在东方看见祂的星,特来朝拜祂。”

希律王听后,心里不安,全城的人都感到不安。 希律王就召来祭司长和律法教师,问他们:“基督在哪里降生呢?”

他们回答说:“在犹太的伯利恒,因为先知这样记载,

“‘犹大地区的伯利恒啊!
你在犹大各城中并不是最小的,
因为有一位君王要从你那里出来,
牧养我的以色列子民。’”

于是,希律暗中召见那几位智者,仔细查问那星出现的准确时间, 然后派他们去伯利恒,并吩咐道:“你们去仔细寻访那个小孩,找到了,就回来报信,我也好去朝拜祂。”

他们听了王的吩咐,就去了。忽然,那颗曾在东方出现的星又出现在他们前面,引领他们来到小孩耶稣所在的地方,便停下来。 10 他们看见那颗星,喜出望外。

11 他们进了屋子,看见孩子和祂母亲玛丽亚,就俯伏在地上拜祂,并打开盛宝物的盒子献上黄金、乳香和没药作礼物。 12 他们在梦中得到指示不可回希律那里,便改道返回了家乡。

逃往埃及

13 他们离开之后,主的天使在梦中向约瑟显现,说:“起来,带着小孩子和祂母亲逃往埃及,住在那里等候我的通知,因为希律要寻找这孩子,杀害祂。” 14 于是,约瑟起来带着孩子和祂母亲连夜逃往埃及, 15 并在那里一直住到希律死了。这就应验了主借着先知所说的话:“我把儿子从埃及召出来。”

16 希律见自己被智者愚弄,大为恼怒,便照着智者所说的时间推算,下令把伯利恒附近两岁以下的男孩杀光。 17 这正应验了耶利米先知的话:

18 “在拉玛有痛哭哀号的声音,
是拉结在为儿女哀痛,
不肯接受安慰,
因为他们都死了!”

定居拿撒勒

19 希律死后,主的天使在梦中向在埃及的约瑟显现,说: 20 “起来,带着孩子和祂母亲回以色列去吧!因为要杀害孩子的人已经死了。” 21 约瑟就起来,带着孩子和祂母亲返回以色列。

22 但约瑟听闻亚基劳继承父亲希律的王位统治犹太,就不敢回犹太。这时,他在梦中得到主的指示,便前往加利利地区, 23 定居在拿撒勒镇。这应验了先知的话:“祂将被称为拿撒勒人。”

Footnotes

  1. 2:1 智者”或译“占星家”下同7节和16节。

The Visit of the Magi

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, “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.” And when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he was inquiring of them where the [b]Christ was to be born. And they said to him, “(E)In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written [c]by the prophet:

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

Then Herod secretly called the magi and carefully determined from them [d]the time (H)the star appeared. 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.” Now after hearing the king, they went their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, was going on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And after coming into the house they saw the Child with (I)Mary His mother; and they [e]fell to the ground and (J)worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been (K)warned (L)in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi departed for their own country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt

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

14 So [g]Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and departed for Egypt. 15 And he [h]remained there until the death of Herod, in order that what had been spoken by the [i]Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, “(O)Out of Egypt I called (P)My Son.”

Herod Slaughters Children

16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by (Q)the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and (R)slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had carefully determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

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

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the [j]Lord *(T)appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into 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 departed for the district of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called (V)Nazareth, so that what was spoken through the prophets would be fulfilled: “He shall be called a (W)Nazarene.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 2:1 A class of wise men specializing in astronomy, astrology, and natural science
  2. Matthew 2:4 Messiah
  3. Matthew 2:5 Or through
  4. Matthew 2:7 Lit the time of the appearing star
  5. Matthew 2:11 Face down in a prone position to indicate worship; lit prostrated
  6. Matthew 2:13 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 2 Kin 1:3
  7. Matthew 2:14 Lit he
  8. Matthew 2:15 Lit was
  9. Matthew 2:15 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Hos 1:1
  10. Matthew 2:19 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 2 Kin 1:3
  11. Matthew 2:21 Lit he