Matthew 2

The Magi Visit the Messiah

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magit from the east came to Jerusalem2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.4 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.5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:

6 "'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.'t"

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.8 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."

9 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. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.12 And having been warned in a dream 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 of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "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."

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 what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."t

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:

18 "A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more."t

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt20 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."

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, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Matthew 2

The Visit of the Wise Men

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehems in Judea, in the timet of King Herod,s wise mens from the East came to Jerusalems2 saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it roset and have come to worship him.”3 When King Herods heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him.4 After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law,t he asked them where the Christts 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.’”s
7 Then Herods privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared.8 Het 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 againt the star they saw when it roset led them until it stopped above the place where the child was.10 When they saw the star they shouted joyfully.t11 As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed downt and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense,s and myrrh.s

12 After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod,s they went back by another route to their own country.

The Escape to Egypt

13 After they had gone, ant angel of the Lordt appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herods is going to look for the child to kill him.”14 Then he got up, took the child and his mother duringt the night, and went to Egypt.

15 He stayed there until Herods died. In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”s
16 When Herods saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent ment to kill all the children in Bethlehems and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.

17 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud wailing,s
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she did not want to be comforted, because they weretgone.”s

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herods had died, ant angel of the Lordt appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.”21 Sot he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel.22 But when he heard that Archelauss was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod,s he was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee.

23 He came to a town called Nazarethss and lived there. Then what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled, that Jesust would be called a Nazarene.t