Matthew 2
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Wise Men Visit the King
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem,(A) 2 saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?(B) For we saw his star at its rising(C) and have come to worship him.’[a]
3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes(D) of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.
5 ‘In Bethlehem of Judea,’ they told him, ‘because this is what was written by the prophet:
6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah:
Because out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b](E)
7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.’[c](F)
9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was – the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshipped him.[d] Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.(G) 12 And being warned(H) in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.
The Flight into Egypt
13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.’(I) 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son.[e](J)
The Massacre of the Innocents
16 Then Herod, when he realised that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men.(K) 17 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18 A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping,[f] and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
and she refused to be consoled,
because they are no more.[g](L)
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,(M) 20 saying, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who intended to kill the child are dead.’ 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother, and entered the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee.(N) 23 Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfil what was spoken through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(O)
Matthew 2
Legacy Standard Bible
The Visit of the Magi
2 Now after Jesus was (A)born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of (B)Herod the king, behold, [a]magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born (C)King of the Jews? For we saw (D)His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 And when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he was inquiring of them where the [b]Christ was to be born. 5 And they said to him, “(E)In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written [c]by the prophet:
6 ‘(F)And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For out of you shall come forth a Leader
Who will (G)shepherd My people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and carefully determined from them [d]the time (H)the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 Now after hearing the king, they went their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, was going on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And after coming into the house they saw the Child with (I)Mary His mother; and they [e]fell to the ground and (J)worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been (K)warned (L)in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi departed for their own country by another way.
The Flight to Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an (M)angel of the [f]Lord *(N)appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”
14 So [g]Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and departed for Egypt. 15 And he [h]remained there until the death of Herod, in order that what had been spoken by the [i]Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, “(O)Out of Egypt I called (P)My Son.”
Herod Slaughters Children
16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by (Q)the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and (R)slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had carefully determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
18 “(S)A voice was heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
And she was refusing to be comforted,
Because they were no more.”
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the [j]Lord *(T)appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 So [k]Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into 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. Then after being (U)warned by God in a dream, he departed for the district of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called (V)Nazareth, so that what was spoken through the prophets would be fulfilled: “He shall be called a (W)Nazarene.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 2:1 A class of wise men specializing in astronomy, astrology, and natural science
- Matthew 2:4 Messiah
- Matthew 2:5 Or through
- Matthew 2:7 Lit the time of the appearing star
- Matthew 2:11 Face down in a prone position to indicate worship; lit prostrated
- Matthew 2:13 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 2 Kin 1:3
- Matthew 2:14 Lit he
- Matthew 2:15 Lit was
- Matthew 2:15 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Hos 1:1
- Matthew 2:19 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 2 Kin 1:3
- Matthew 2:21 Lit he
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
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
