Matthew 2
1 When Jesus then was borne at Bethleem in Iudea, in the dayes of Herod the King, beholde, there came Wisemen from the East to Hierusalem,
After the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem in Judea, in the reign of King Herod, some astrologers from the East arrived in Jerusalem, asking,
2 Saying, Where is that King of the Iewes that is borne? for wee haue seene his starre in the East, and are come to worship him.
‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.’
3 When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Hierusalem with him.
When King Herod heard of this, he was much troubled, and so too was all Jerusalem.
4 And gathering together all the chiefe Priestes and Scribes of the people, hee asked of them, where Christ should be borne.
He called together all the chief priests and teachers of the Law in the nation, and questioned them as to where the Christ was to be born.
5 And they saide vnto him, At Beth-leem in Iudea: for so it is written by the Prophet,
‘At Bethlehem in Judea,’ was their answer, ‘for it is said in the prophet –
6 And thou Beth-leem in the lande of Iuda, art not the least among the Princes of Iuda: For out of thee shall come the gouernour that shall feede that my people Israel.
“And you, Bethlehem in Judah’s land, are in no way least among the chief cities of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler – who will shepherd my people Israel.”’
7 Then Herod priuily called the Wisemen, and diligently inquired of them the time of the starre that appeared,
Then Herod secretly sent for the astrologers. He found out from them the time of the appearance of the star.
8 And sent them to Beth-leem, saying, Goe, and searche diligently for the babe: and when ye haue founde him, bring mee worde againe, that I may come also, and worship him.
Sending them to Bethlehem he said, ‘Go and make a careful search for the child. When you have found him, bring word back to me, so that I, too, can go and worship him.’
9 So when they had heard the King, they departed: and loe, the starre which they had seene in the East, went before them, till it came and stoode ouer the place where the babe was.
The astrologers heard what the king had to say, and then continued their journey. The star which they had seen in the east led them on, until it reached and stood over the place where the child was.
10 And when they sawe the starre, they reioyced with an exceeding great ioy,
At the sight of the star they were filled with joy.
11 And went into the house, and founde the babe with Mary his mother, and fell downe, and worshipped him, and opened their treasures, and presented vnto him giftes, euen golde, and frankincense, and myrrhe.
Entering the house, they saw the child with his mother, Mary, and fell at his feet and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasure chests, and offered to the child presents of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And after they were warned of God in a dreame, that they should not go againe to Herod, they returned into their countrey another way.
But afterwards, having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another road.
13 After their departure, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeareth to Ioseph in a dreame, saying, Arise, and take the babe and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there til I bring thee word: for Herod will seeke the babe, to destroy him.
After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and seek refuge in Egypt; and stay there until I tell you to return, for Herod is about to search for the child, to put him to death.’
14 So he arose and tooke the babe and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt,
Joseph woke up, and taking the child and his mother by night, went into Egypt,
15 And was there vnto the death of Herod, that that might be fulfilled, which is spoken of the Lord by the Prophet, saying, Out of Egypt haue I called my sonne.
and there he stayed until Herod’s death. This was in fulfilment of these words of the Lord in the prophet, where he says – “Out of Egypt I called my Son.”
16 Then Herod, seeing that he was mocked of the Wisemen, was exceeding wroth, and sent foorth, and slew all the male children that were in Beth-leem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two yeere old and vnder, according to the time which he had diligently searched out of the Wisemen.
When Herod found out that the astrologers had tricked him, he flew into a rage. He sent and put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and the whole of that region, who were two years old or under, guided by the time which he had learned from the astrologers.
17 Then was that fulfilled which is spoken by the Prophet Ieremias, saying,
Then were fulfilled these words spoken in the prophet Jeremiah, where he says –
18 In Rhama was a voyce heard, mourning, and weeping, and great howling: Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they were not.
“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and mourning loudly; Rachel, weeping for her children, refusing all comfort for they were dead.”
19 And whe Herod was dead, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeareth in a dreame to Ioseph in Egypt,
But, on the death of Herod, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the babe and his mother, and goe into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the babes life.
‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go into the Land of Israel, for those who sought to take the child’s life are dead.’
21 Then he arose vp and tooke the babe and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
He woke up, and taking the child and his mother, went into the Land of Israel.
22 But whe he heard that Archelaus did reigne in Iudea in stead of his father Herod, he was afraide to go thither: yet after he was warned of God in a dreame, he turned aside into the parts of Galile,
But, hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, he was afraid to go back there; and having been warned in a dream, he went into the part of the country called Galilee.
23 And went and dwelt in a citie called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets, which was, That hee should be called a Nazarite.
There he settled in the town of Nazareth, in fulfilment of these words in the prophets – “He will be called a Nazarene.”
