The Visit of the Magi

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king (Herod the Great), magi (wise men) from the east came to Jerusalem, asking,

They replied to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet [Micah]:

But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod [the Great], he was afraid to go there. Then being warned by God in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee,

The Preaching of John the Baptist

In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea [along the western side of the Dead Sea] and saying,

At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan;

Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and the other side of the Jordan.

Concerning Divorce

Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the part of Judea that is beyond the Jordan;

then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains [for refuge].

so they bound Him, and led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate the governor [of Judea, who had the authority to condemn prisoners to death].