And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, (A)they offered him gifts, (B)gold and (C)frankincense and (D)myrrh. 12 And (E)being warned (F)in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt

13 Now when they had departed, behold, (G)an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. (H)This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, (I)“Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Herod Kills the Children

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 (J)Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 (K)“A voice was heard in Ramah,
    weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
    she refused to be comforted, because they (L)are no more.”

The Return to Nazareth

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for (M)those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to 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, and (N)being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called (O)Nazareth, (P)so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

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He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.(A) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts(B) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned(C) in a dream(D) not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The Escape to Egypt

13 When they had gone, an angel(E) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.(F) “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”(G)

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled(H) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[a](I)

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:(J)

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel(K) weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”[b](L)

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel(M) of the Lord appeared in a dream(N) to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”(O)

21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to 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. Having been warned in a dream,(P) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,(Q) 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.(R) So was fulfilled(S) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(T)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1
  2. Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:15