Matthew 2:1-12
New English Translation
The Visit of the Wise Men
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time[a] of King Herod,[b] wise men[c] from the East came to Jerusalem 2 saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose[d] and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod[e] heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem[f] with him. 4 After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law,[g] he asked them where the Christ[h] was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are in no way least among the rulers of Judah,
for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”[i]
7 Then Herod[j] privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. 8 He[k] sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.” 9 After listening to the king they left, and once again[l] the star they saw when it rose[m] led them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star they shouted joyfully.[n] 11 As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down[o] and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense,[p] and myrrh.[q] 12 After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod,[r] they went back by another route to their own country.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 2:1 tn Grk “in the days.”
- Matthew 2:1 sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Judea (with the support of Rome) from 37 b.c. until he died in 4 b.c. He was known for his extensive building projects (including the temple in Jerusalem) and for his cruelty.
- Matthew 2:1 sn The Greek term here, sometimes transliterated into English as magi, describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).
- Matthew 2:2 tn Or “in its rising,” referring to the astrological significance of a star in a particular portion of the sky. The term used for the “East” in v. 1 is ἀνατολαί (anatolai, a plural form that is used typically of the rising of the sun), while in vv. 2 and 9 the singular ἀνατολή (anatolē) is used. The singular is typically used of the rising of a star and as such should not normally be translated “in the east” (cf. BDAG 74 s.v. 1: “because of the sg. and the article in contrast to ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν, vs. 1, [it is] prob. not a geograph. expr. like the latter, but rather astronomical…likew. vs. 9”).
- Matthew 2:3 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
- Matthew 2:3 tn Here the city (Jerusalem) is put by metonymy for its inhabitants (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 579).
- Matthew 2:4 tn Or “and scribes of the people.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateus) as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
- Matthew 2:4 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
- Matthew 2:6 sn A quotation from Mic 5:2.
- Matthew 2:7 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
- Matthew 2:8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 2:9 tn Grk “and behold the star.”
- Matthew 2:9 tn See the note on the word “rose” in 2:2.
- Matthew 2:10 tn Grk “they rejoiced with very great joy.”
- Matthew 2:11 tn Grk “they fell down.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
- Matthew 2:11 sn Frankincense refers to the aromatic resin of certain trees, used as a sweet-smelling incense (L&N 6.212).
- Matthew 2:11 sn Myrrh consisted of the aromatic resin of certain shrubs (L&N 6.208). It was widely used in the ancient Near East by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans as perfume, as incense, and for medicinal purposes (W. Michaelis, TDNT 7:457). It was also used in preparing a corpse for burial (cf. John 19:39).
- Matthew 2:12 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
Matthew 2:1-12
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
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