⁷ But those ^[a]vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

²⁷ For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, ^(A)because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. ^28 (B)And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.

^52 (A)Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of ^(B)the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

²⁸ saying, ^(A)“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, ^(B)and intend to bring this Man’s ^(C)blood on us!”

²³ Him, ^(A)being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, ^(B)you ^[a]have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

^47 (A)Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ^(B)“What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”

⁴⁹ And one of them, ^(C)Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, ^50 (D)nor do you consider that it is expedient for ^[a]us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.”

^12 (A)And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

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.

³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ And when he had gathered all ^(A)the chief priests and ^(B)scribes of the people together, ^(C)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:

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the ^[a]wise men, determined from them what time the ^(F)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, ^(G)they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹² Then, being divinely warned ^(H)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.”