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Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, in Judea, during the reign of King Herod.

At about that time some astrologers from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in far-off eastern lands and have come to worship him.”

King Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, and all Jerusalem was filled with rumors.[a] He called a meeting of the Jewish religious leaders.

“Did the prophets tell us where the Messiah would be born?” he asked.

“Yes, in Bethlehem,” they said, “for this is what the prophet Micah[b] wrote:

‘O little town of Bethlehem, you are not just an unimportant Judean village, for a Governor shall rise from you to rule my people Israel.’”

Then Herod sent a private message to the astrologers, asking them to come to see him; at this meeting he found out from them the exact time when they first saw the star. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him too!”

After this interview the astrologers started out again. And look! The star appeared to them again, standing over Bethlehem.[c] 10 Their joy knew no bounds!

11 Entering the house where the baby and Mary, his mother, were, they threw themselves down before him, worshiping. Then they opened their presents and gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 But when they returned to their own land, they didn’t go through Jerusalem to report to Herod, for God had warned them in a dream to go home another way.

13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up and flee to Egypt with the baby and his mother,” the angel said, “and stay there until I tell you to return, for King Herod is going to try to kill the child.” 14 That same[d] night he left for Egypt with Mary and the baby, 15 and stayed there until King Herod’s death. This fulfilled the prophet’s prediction,

“I have called my Son from Egypt.”[e]

16 Herod was furious when he learned that the astrologers had disobeyed him. Sending soldiers to Bethlehem, he ordered them to kill every baby boy two years old and under, both in the town and on the nearby farms, for the astrologers had told him the star first appeared to them two years before. 17 This brutal action of Herod’s fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah,

18 “Screams of anguish come from Ramah,[f]

Weeping unrestrained;

Rachel weeping for her children,

Uncomforted—

For they are dead.”

19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and told him, 20 “Get up and take the baby and his mother back to Israel, for those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

21 So he returned immediately to Israel with Jesus and his mother. 22 But on the way he was frightened to learn that the new king was Herod’s son, Archelaus. Then, in another dream, he was warned not to go to Judea, so they went to Galilee instead 23 and lived in Nazareth. This fulfilled the prediction of the prophets concerning the Messiah,

“He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 2:3 and all Jerusalem was filled with rumors, literally, “and all Jerusalem with him.”
  2. Matthew 2:5 Micah, implied; see Micah 5:2.
  3. Matthew 2:9 appeared to them again, standing over Bethlehem, literally, “went before them until it came and stood over where the baby lay.”
  4. Matthew 2:14 same, implied.
  5. Matthew 2:15 Compare Hosea 11:1.
  6. Matthew 2:18 Ramah, or “the region of Ramah.”

Visita de los sabios

Después de nacer Jesús(A) en Belén de Judea, en tiempos[a] del rey Herodes(B), unos sabios[b][c] del oriente llegaron a Jerusalén, preguntando: «¿Dónde está el Rey de los judíos(C) que ha nacido? Porque vimos Su estrella en el oriente(D) y lo hemos venido a adorar». Cuando lo oyó el rey Herodes, se turbó, y toda Jerusalén con él. Entonces, el rey reunió a todos los principales sacerdotes y escribas del pueblo, y averiguó de ellos dónde había de nacer el Cristo. Y ellos le dijeron: «En Belén de Judea(E), porque así está escrito por el[d] profeta:

“Y , Belén(F), tierra de Judá,
De ningún modo eres la más pequeña entre los príncipes de Judá;
Porque de ti saldrá un Gobernante
Que pastoreará(G) a Mi pueblo Israel”».

Entonces Herodes llamó a los sabios en secreto y de ellos determinó el tiempo exacto en que había aparecido la estrella(H). Y enviándolos a Belén, dijo: «Vayan y busquen con diligencia al Niño; y cuando lo encuentren, avísenme para que yo también vaya y lo adore».

Después de oír al rey, los sabios se fueron; y la estrella que habían visto en el oriente iba delante de ellos, hasta que llegó y se detuvo sobre el lugar donde estaba el Niño. 10 Cuando vieron la estrella, se regocijaron mucho con gran alegría. 11 Entrando en la casa, vieron al Niño con Su madre María(I), y postrándose lo adoraron(J); y abriendo sus tesoros le presentaron obsequios de oro, incienso y mirra. 12 Y habiendo sido advertidos por Dios en sueños(K) que no volvieran a Herodes, se fueron para su tierra por otro camino.

Huida a Egipto

13 Después de haberse marchado ellos, un[e] ángel del Señor(L) se apareció* a José en sueños, diciendo: «Levántate, toma al Niño y a Su madre y huye a Egipto, y quédate allí hasta que yo te diga; porque Herodes quiere buscar y matar al Niño[f]».

14 Y levantándose José, tomó de noche al Niño y a Su madre, y se trasladó a Egipto; 15 estuvo allá hasta la muerte de Herodes, para que se cumpliera lo que el Señor habló por medio del profeta, diciendo: «De Egipto llamé a Mi Hijo(M)».

La matanza de los niños

16 Herodes, al verse burlado por los sabios, se enfureció en gran manera, y mandó matar a todos los niños que había en Belén y en todos sus alrededores, de dos años para abajo, según el tiempo que había averiguado de los sabios(N). 17 Entonces se cumplió lo que fue dicho por medio del profeta Jeremías, cuando dijo:

18 «Se oyó una voz en Ramá,
Llanto y gran lamentación;
Raquel que llora a sus hijos,
Y que no quiso ser consolada
Porque ya no existen(O)».

Regreso a Nazaret

19 Pero cuando murió Herodes, un ángel del Señor se apareció* en sueños(P) a José en Egipto, diciéndole: 20 «Levántate, toma al Niño y a Su madre y vete a la tierra de Israel, porque los que atentaban contra[g] la vida del Niño han muerto».

21 Y levantándose, José tomó al Niño y a Su madre, y vino a la tierra de Israel. 22 Pero cuando oyó que Arquelao reinaba sobre Judea en lugar de su padre Herodes, tuvo miedo de ir allá; y advertido por Dios en sueños(Q), se fue para la región de Galilea. 23 Cuando llegó, vivió en una ciudad llamada Nazaret(R), para que se cumpliera lo que fue dicho por medio de los profetas: «Él será llamado Nazareno(S)».

Footnotes

  1. 2:1 Lit. días.
  2. 2:1 I.e. magos, y así en el resto del cap.
  3. 2:1 Gr. magoi; i.e. hombres que estudiaban astrología, medicina, y ciencias naturales.
  4. 2:5 Lit. por medio del.
  5. 2:13 Lit. he aquí un.
  6. 2:13 O destruirle.
  7. 2:20 Lit. buscaban.

The Magi Visit the Messiah

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,(A) during the time of King Herod,(B) Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 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.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 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. “In Bethlehem(E) in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘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)

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 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.(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

  1. Matthew 2:1 Traditionally wise men
  2. Matthew 2:6 Micah 5:2,4
  3. Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1
  4. Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:15