Matthew 2
Common English Bible
Coming of the magi
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. 2 They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.”
3 When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and everyone in Jerusalem was troubled with him. 4 He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote:
6 You, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah,
because from you will come one who governs,
who will shepherd my people Israel.”[a]
7 Then Herod secretly called for the magi and found out from them the time when the star had first appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you’ve found him, report to me so that I too may go and honor him.” 9 When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. 11 They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route.
Escape to Egypt
13 When the magi had departed, an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod will soon search for the child in order to kill him.” 14 Joseph got up and, during the night, took the child and his mother to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod died. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I have called my son out of Egypt.[b]
Murder of the Bethlehem children
16 When Herod knew the magi had fooled him, he grew very angry. He sent soldiers to kill all the children in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding territory who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had learned from the magi. 17 This fulfilled the word spoken through Jeremiah the prophet:
18 A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and much grieving.
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she did not want to be comforted,
because they were no more.[c]
Return from Egypt
19 After King Herod died, an angel from the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20 “Get up,” the angel said, “and take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel. Those who were trying to kill the child are dead.” 21 Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus ruled over Judea in place of his father Herod, Joseph was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he went to the area of Galilee. 23 He settled in a city called Nazareth so that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled: He will be called a Nazarene.
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
Mateo 2
Dios Habla Hoy
La visita de los sabios del Oriente
2 Jesús nació en Belén, un pueblo de la región de Judea, en el tiempo en que Herodes era rey del país. Llegaron por entonces a Jerusalén unos sabios del Oriente que se dedicaban al estudio de las estrellas, 2 y preguntaron:
—¿Dónde está el rey de los judíos que ha nacido? Pues vimos salir su estrella y hemos venido a adorarlo.
3 El rey Herodes se inquietó mucho al oír esto, y lo mismo les pasó a todos los habitantes de Jerusalén. 4 Mandó el rey llamar a todos los jefes de los sacerdotes y a los maestros de la ley, y les preguntó dónde había de nacer el Mesías. 5 Ellos le dijeron:
—En Belén de Judea; porque así lo escribió el profeta:
6 “En cuanto a ti, Belén, de la tierra de Judá,
no eres la más pequeña
entre las principales ciudades de esa tierra;
porque de ti saldrá un gobernante
que guiará a mi pueblo Israel.”
7 Entonces Herodes llamó en secreto a los sabios, y se informó por ellos del tiempo exacto en que había aparecido la estrella. 8 Luego los mandó a Belén, y les dijo:
—Vayan allá, y averigüen todo lo que puedan acerca de ese niño; y cuando lo encuentren, avísenme, para que yo también vaya a rendirle homenaje.
9 Con estas indicaciones del rey, los sabios se fueron. Y la estrella que habían visto salir iba delante de ellos, hasta que por fin se detuvo sobre el lugar donde estaba el niño. 10 Cuando los sabios vieron la estrella, se alegraron mucho. 11 Luego entraron en la casa, y vieron al niño con María, su madre; y arrodillándose le rindieron homenaje. Abrieron sus cofres y le ofrecieron oro, incienso y mirra. 12 Después, advertidos en sueños de que no debían volver a donde estaba Herodes, regresaron a su tierra por otro camino.
La huida a Egipto
13 Cuando ya los sabios se habían ido, un ángel del Señor se le apareció en sueños a José, y le dijo: «Levántate, toma al niño y a su madre, y huye a Egipto. Quédate allí hasta que yo te avise, porque Herodes va a buscar al niño para matarlo.»
14 José se levantó, tomó al niño y a su madre, y salió con ellos de noche camino de Egipto, 15 donde estuvieron hasta que murió Herodes. Esto sucedió para que se cumpliera lo que el Señor había dicho por medio del profeta: «De Egipto llamé a mi Hijo.»
Herodes manda matar a los niños
16 Al darse cuenta Herodes de que aquellos sabios lo habían engañado, se llenó de ira y mandó matar a todos los niños de dos años para abajo que vivían en Belén y sus alrededores, de acuerdo con el tiempo que le habían dicho los sabios. 17 Así se cumplió lo escrito por el profeta Jeremías:
18 «Se oyó una voz en Ramá,
llantos y grandes lamentos.
Era Raquel, que lloraba por sus hijos
y no quería ser consolada
porque ya estaban muertos.»
La familia se establece en Nazaret
19 Pero después que murió Herodes, un ángel del Señor se le apareció en sueños a José, en Egipto, y le dijo: 20 «Levántate, toma contigo al niño y a su madre, y regresa a Israel, porque ya han muerto los que querían matar al niño.»
21 Entonces José se levantó y llevó al niño y a su madre a Israel. 22 Pero cuando supo que Arquelao estaba gobernando en Judea en lugar de su padre Herodes, tuvo miedo de ir allá; y habiendo sido advertido en sueños por Dios, se dirigió a la región de Galilea. 23 Al llegar, se fue a vivir al pueblo de Nazaret. Esto sucedió para que se cumpliera lo que dijeron los profetas: que Jesús sería llamado nazareno.
Matthew 2
New International Version
The Magi Visit the Messiah
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,(A) during the time of King Herod,(B) Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?(C) We saw his star(D) when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem(E) in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”(F)
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 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.”
9 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.(G) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts(H) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned(I) in a dream(J) 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(K) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.(L) “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.”(M)
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(N) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[c](O)
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:(P)
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel(Q) weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”[d](R)
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel(S) of the Lord appeared in a dream(T) 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.”(U)
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,(V) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,(W) 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.(X) So was fulfilled(Y) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(Z)
Footnotes
- Matthew 2:1 Traditionally wise men
- Matthew 2:6 Micah 5:2,4
- Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1
- Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:15
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Dios habla hoy ®, © Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, 1966, 1970, 1979, 1983, 1996.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

