Matthew 2
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem.
2 “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
“Where is the King of the Jews who has been born?” they asked. “We saw his star in the east and we've come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
When King Herod heard about it, he was very disturbed, and the whole of Jerusalem with him.
4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.
Herod summoned all the chief priests and religious teachers of the people, and asked them where the Messiah was supposed to be born.
5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,
“Bethlehem in Judea,” they told him, “for that's what the prophet wrote:
6 ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a governor who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”
‘Bethlehem in the land of Judea, you are certainly not the least important of Judah's leading cities, for a leader will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
Then Herod called the wise men and met with them in private and found out from them exactly when the star appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
He sent them to Bethlehem, telling them, “When you get there, search for the child. Once you find him let me know so that I can come and worship him too.”
9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was.
After they had heard what the king had to say they went on their way, and the star which they had seen in the east led them until it stopped right above the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
When they saw the star they couldn't contain their happiness!
11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
They went into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. They bowed and worshiped him. Then they opened their bags of treasure and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
Warned by a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by a different route.
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
After they'd left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and told him, “Get up, and take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Remain there until I tell you, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt,
So Joseph got up and took the boy and his mother, and left during the night 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, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
They stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord said through the prophet, “I called my son out of Egypt.”
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.
When Herod realized he'd been fooled by the wise men, he got very angry. He sent men to kill all the young boys in Bethlehem and the regions nearby who were two years old and under. This was based on the time frame he'd discovered from the wise men.
17 Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
In this way Jeremiah's prophecy was fulfilled:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”
“The sound of terrible weeping and mourning was heard in Rama, Rachel crying for her children. They are dead, and she can't be comforted.”
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
After Herod died the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and told him,
20 “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”
“Get up! Take the child and his mother, and return to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”
21 He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
So Joseph got up and took the boy and his mother, and returned to the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,
But Joseph was afraid to go there after he learned that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea. Warned in a dream, Joseph went to the Galilee area
23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.
and settled down in Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said, “He will be called a Nazarene.”
