²⁰ Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.”

³ For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another.^(A)

²⁴ When he turned around and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.^(A)

¹⁶ They said, “What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it.^{(A) 17} But to keep it from spreading further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” ¹⁸ So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.^(B)

¹⁰ So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, ¹¹ since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.^(A)

¹² If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

²⁹ Those who passed by derided^[a] him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days,^{(A) 30} save yourself, and come down from the cross!” ³¹ In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.^{(B) 32} Let the Messiah,^[b] the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.^(C)

⁴⁰ and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”^{(A) 41} In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, ⁴² “He saved others; he cannot save himself.^[a] He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.^(B)

² asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star in the east^[a] and have come to pay him homage.”^{(A) 3} When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him, ⁴ and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah^[b] was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet:^(B)

⁷ Then Herod secretly called for the magi^[d] and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸ Then he 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 also go and pay him homage.” ⁹ When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east,^[e] until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped,^[f] they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.^{(D) 12} And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.^(E)