Matthew 2
King James Version
2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw 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 exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee 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 into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Wise Men Seek the King
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem,(A) 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?(B) For we saw His star in the east[a](C) and have come to worship Him.”[b]
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 leaders of Judah:
because out of you will come a leader
who will shepherd My people Israel.”(E)[c]
7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star 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.”[d](F)
9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen in the east![e] It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him.[f] 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 suddenly 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 destroy 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.(J)[g]
The Massacre of the Innocents
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the male children in and around Bethlehem who were two years[h] 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,[i] and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
and she refused to be consoled,
because they were no more.(L)[j]
The Holy Family in Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly 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 sought the child’s life 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[k] 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 fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that He will be called a Nazarene.(O)
Footnotes
- Matthew 2:2 Or star at its rising
- Matthew 2:2 Or to pay Him homage
- Matthew 2:6 Mc 5:2
- Matthew 2:8 Or and pay Him homage
- Matthew 2:9 Or star . . . at its rising
- Matthew 2:11 Or they paid Him homage
- Matthew 2:15 Hs 11:1
- Matthew 2:16 Lit were from two years
- Matthew 2:18 Other mss read Ramah, lamentation, and weeping,
- Matthew 2:18 Jr 31:15
- Matthew 2:22 A son of Herod the Great who ruled a portion of his father’s kingdom 4 b.c.–a.d. 6
Matthew 2
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 2
The Visit of the Magi.[a] 1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod,[b] behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star[c] at its rising and have come to do him homage.”(A) 3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.[d] 5 (B)They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” 9 After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11 [e](C)and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
The Flight to Egypt. 13 [f]When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,[g] and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” 14 Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. 15 [h]He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet(D) might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
The Massacre of the Infants. 16 When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
18 [i](E)“A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.”
The Return from Egypt. 19 When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said,(F) “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”[j] 21 He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod,[k] he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. 23 [l](G)He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazorean.”
Footnotes
- 2:1–12 The future rejection of Jesus by Israel and his acceptance by the Gentiles are retrojected into this scene of the narrative.
- 2:1 In the days of King Herod: Herod reigned from 37 to 4 B.C. Magi: originally a designation of the Persian priestly caste, the word became used of those who were regarded as having more than human knowledge. Matthew’s magi are astrologers.
- 2:2 We saw his star: it was a common ancient belief that a new star appeared at the time of a ruler’s birth. Matthew also draws upon the Old Testament story of Balaam, who had prophesied that “A star shall advance from Jacob” (Nm 24:17), though there the star means not an astral phenomenon but the king himself.
- 2:4 Herod’s consultation with the chief priests and scribes has some similarity to a Jewish legend about the child Moses in which the “sacred scribes” warn Pharaoh about the imminent birth of one who will deliver Israel from Egypt and the king makes plans to destroy him.
- 2:11 Cf. Ps 72:10, 15; Is 60:6. These Old Testament texts led to the interpretation of the magi as kings.
- 2:13–23 Biblical and nonbiblical traditions about Moses are here applied to the child Jesus, though the dominant Old Testament type is not Moses but Israel (Mt 2:15).
- 2:13 Flee to Egypt: Egypt was a traditional place of refuge for those fleeing from danger in Palestine (see 1 Kgs 11:40; Jer 26:21), but the main reason why the child is to be taken to Egypt is that he may relive the Exodus experience of Israel.
- 2:15 The fulfillment citation is taken from Hos 11:1. Israel, God’s son, was called out of Egypt at the time of the Exodus; Jesus, the Son of God, will similarly be called out of that land in a new exodus. The father-son relationship between God and the nation is set in a higher key. Here the son is not a group adopted as “son of God,” but the child who, as conceived by the holy Spirit, stands in unique relation to God. He is son of David and of Abraham, of Mary and of Joseph, but, above all, of God.
- 2:18 Jer 31:15 portrays Rachel, wife of the patriarch Jacob, weeping for her children taken into exile at the time of the Assyrian invasion of the northern kingdom (722–21 B.C.). Bethlehem was traditionally identified with Ephrath, the place near which Rachel was buried (see Gn 35:19; 48:7), and the mourning of Rachel is here applied to her lost children of a later age. Ramah: about six miles north of Jerusalem. The lamentation of Rachel is so great as to be heard at a far distance.
- 2:20 For those who sought the child’s life are dead: Moses, who had fled from Egypt because the Pharaoh sought to kill him (see Ex 2:15), was told to return there, “for all the men who sought your life are dead” (Ex 4:19).
- 2:22 With the agreement of the emperor Augustus, Archelaus received half of his father’s kingdom, including Judea, after Herod’s death. He had the title “ethnarch” (i.e., “ruler of a nation”) and reigned from 4 B.C. to A.D. 6.
- 2:23 Nazareth…he shall be called a Nazorean: the tradition of Jesus’ residence in Nazareth was firmly established, and Matthew sees it as being in accordance with the foreannounced plan of God. The town of Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, and no such prophecy can be found there. The vague expression “through the prophets” may be due to Matthew’s seeing a connection between Nazareth and certain texts in which there are words with a remote similarity to the name of that town. Some such Old Testament texts are Is 11:1 where the Davidic king of the future is called “a bud” (nēser) that shall blossom from the roots of Jesse, and Jgs 13:5, 7 where Samson, the future deliverer of Israel from the Philistines, is called one who shall be consecrated (a nāzîr) to God.
Matthew 2
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
2 · ho · de After Jesus Iēsous was born gennaō in en Bethlehem Bēthleem of ho Judea Ioudaia in en the days hēmera of Herod hērōdēs the ho king basileus, behold idou, wise magos men from apo the East anatolē came paraginomai to eis Jerusalem Hierosolyma, 2 saying legō, “ Where pou is eimi the ho one who has been born tiktō king basileus of the ho Jews Ioudaios? For gar we saw his autos · ho star astēr at en its ho rising anatolē and kai have come erchomai to worship proskyneō him autos.” 3 Now de when king basileus Herod hērōdēs heard akouō this, · ho he was troubled tarassō, and kai all pas Jerusalem Hierosolyma with meta him autos; 4 and kai gathering synagō all pas the ho ruling archiereus priests and kai scribes grammateus of the ho people laos, he inquired pynthanomai of para them autos where pou the ho Messiah Christos was to be born gennaō. 5 They ho · de told legō him autos, “ In en Bethlehem Bēthleem of ho Judea Ioudaia, for gar thus houtōs it is written graphō by dia the ho prophet prophētēs: 6 ‘ And kai you sy, Bethlehem Bēthleem, in the land gē of Judah Ioudas, are eimi by no oudamōs means least elachistos among en the ho rulers hēgemōn of Judah Ioudas; for gar from ek you sy will come exerchomai a ruler hēgeomai who hostis will shepherd poimainō · ho my egō people laos · ho Israel Israēl.’”
7 Then tote Herod hērōdēs secretly lathrai called kaleō for the ho magi magos and found akriboō out from para them autos exactly what · ho time chronos the star astēr · ho had appeared phainō. 8 Then kai he sent pempō them autos to eis Bethlehem Bēthleem, saying legō, “ Go poreuō and search exetazō diligently akribōs for peri the ho child paidion; and de when epan you have found heuriskō him, report apangellō back to me egō, so hopōs that I kagō also may go erchomai and worship proskyneō him autos.” 9 And de having listened akouō to the ho king basileus, they ho continued poreuō their journey , and kai the ho star astēr that hos they had seen in en its ho rising anatolē went proagō before them autos until heōs it stopped histēmi over epanō the place where hou the ho child paidion was eimi. 10 And de when they caught sight of the ho star astēr, they rejoiced chairō exceedingly sphodra with great megas joy chara. 11 · kai Upon entering erchomai the ho house oikia they saw the ho child paidion with meta Mary Maria · ho his autos mother mētēr, and kai falling piptō to their knees they worshiped proskyneō him autos. Then kai opening anoigō · ho their autos treasure thēsauros chests , they presented prospherō him autos with gifts dōron, gold chrysos and kai frankincense libanos and kai myrrh smyrna. 12 And kai being warned chrēmatizō in kata a dream onar not mē to return anakamptō to pros Herod hērōdēs, they left anachōreō for eis their own autos country chōra by dia another allos way hodos. · ho
13 After they autos had gone anachōreō, · de an angel angelos of the Lord kyrios appeared phainō in kata a dream onar to ho Joseph Iōsēph, saying legō, “ Rise egeirō, take paralambanō the ho child paidion and kai · ho his autos mother mētēr, · kai flee pheugō to eis Egypt Aigyptos, and kai stay eimi there ekei until heōs an I tell legō you sy; for gar Herod hērōdēs is going mellō to search zēteō for the ho child paidion · ho to destroy apollymi him autos.” 14 So de he ho got egeirō up , took paralambanō the ho child paidion and kai · ho his autos mother mētēr by night nyx, and kai left anachōreō for eis Egypt Aigyptos, 15 and kai was eimi there ekei until heōs the ho death teleutē of Herod hērōdēs. This was to hina fulfill plēroō what ho was spoken legō by hypo the Lord kyrios through dia the ho prophet prophētēs: “ Out ek of Egypt Aigyptos I have called kaleō · ho my egō son hyios.”
16 Then tote Herod hērōdēs, when he saw that hoti he had been tricked empaizō by hypo the ho wise magos men , became furious thumoō; and kai he sent apostellō and killed anaireō all pas the ho male pais children · ho in en Bethlehem Bēthleem and kai in en all pas · ho her autos regions horion who were two years old dietēs or kai under katōterō, according kata to the ho time chronos that hos he had determined akriboō from para the ho wise magos men . 17 Then tote was fulfilled plēroō what ho was spoken legō by dia the ho prophet prophētēs Jeremiah Ieremias: 18 “A voice phōnē was heard akouō in en Ramah Rhama, weeping klauthmos and kai loud polys lamentation odyrmos, Rachel Rhachēl weeping klaiō for · ho her autos children teknon; · kai she refused ou to be comforted parakaleō, because hoti they were eimi no ou more .”
19 But de when Herod hērōdēs died teleutaō, · ho an angel angelos of the Lord kyrios appeared phainō in kata a dream onar to ho Joseph Iōsēph in en Egypt Aigyptos, 20 saying legō, “ Rise egeirō, take paralambanō the ho child paidion and kai · ho his autos mother mētēr, and kai go poreuō to eis the land gē of Israel Israēl, for gar those ho who were seeking zēteō the ho child’ s paidion life psychē · ho are dead thnēskō.” 21 · ho So de Joseph got egeirō up , took paralambanō the ho child paidion and kai · ho his autos mother mētēr, and kai went eiserchomai into eis the land gē of Israel Israēl. 22 But de when he heard akouō that hoti Archelaus Archelaos was reigning basileuō over · ho Judea Ioudaia in place anti of · ho his autos father patēr Herod hērōdēs, he was afraid phobeomai to go aperchomai there ekei, and de being warned chrēmatizō in kata a dream onar he went anachōreō into eis the ho region meros of ho Galilee Galilaia. 23 And kai he went erchomai and settled katoikeō in eis a town polis called legō Nazareth Nazaret, that hopōs what ho was spoken legō by dia the ho prophets prophētēs might be fulfilled plēroō: “ He will be called kaleō a Nazarene Nazōraios.”
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