Matthew 2
1 And Jesus having been born in Beth-Lehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, lo, mages from the east came to Jerusalem,
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 he who was born king of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and we came to bow to him.'
‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.’
3 And Herod the king having heard, was stirred, and all Jerusalem with him,
When King Herod heard of this, he was much troubled, and so too was all Jerusalem.
4 and having gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he was inquiring from them where the Christ is born.
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 said to him, 'In Beth-Lehem of Judea, for thus it hath been written through the prophet,
‘At Bethlehem in Judea,’ was their answer, ‘for it is said in the prophet –
6 And thou, Beth-Lehem, the land of Judah, thou art by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for out of thee shall come one leading, who shall feed 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, privately having called the mages, did inquire exactly from them the time of the appearing star,
Then Herod secretly sent for the astrologers. He found out from them the time of the appearance of the star.
8 and having sent them to Beth-Lehem, he said, 'Having gone — inquire ye exactly for the child, and whenever ye may have found, bring me back word, that I also having come may bow to 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 And they, having heard the king, departed, and lo, the star, that they did see in the east, did go before them, till, having come, it stood over where the child 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 having seen the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy,
At the sight of the star they were filled with joy.
11 and having come to the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and having fallen down they bowed to him, and having opened their treasures, they presented to him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh,
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 having been divinely warned in a dream not to turn back unto Herod, through another way they withdrew to their own region.
But afterwards, having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another road.
13 And on their having withdrawn, lo, a messenger of the Lord doth appear in a dream to Joseph, saying, 'Having risen, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and be thou there till I may speak to thee, for Herod is about to seek the child 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 And he, having risen, took the child and his mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,
Joseph woke up, and taking the child and his mother by night, went into Egypt,
15 and he was there till the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 'Out of Egypt I did call My Son.'
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, having seen that he was deceived by the mages, was very wroth, and having sent forth, he slew all the male children in Beth-Lehem, and in all its borders, from two years and under, according to the time that he inquired exactly from the mages.
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 fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
Then were fulfilled these words spoken in the prophet Jeremiah, where he says –
18 'A voice in Ramah was heard — lamentation and weeping and much mourning — Rachel weeping [for] her children, and she would not be comforted because they are 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 Herod having died, lo, a messenger of the Lord in a dream doth appear to Joseph 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, 'Having risen, take the child and his mother, and be going to the land of Israel, for they have died — those seeking the life of the child.'
‘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 And he, having risen, took the child and his mother, and came to the land of Israel,
He woke up, and taking the child and his mother, went into the Land of Israel.
22 and having heard that Archelaus doth reign over Judea instead of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither, and having been divinely warned in a dream, he withdrew to the parts of Galilee,
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 coming, he dwelt in a city named Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through the prophets, that 'A Nazarene he shall be called.'
There he settled in the town of Nazareth, in fulfilment of these words in the prophets – “He will be called a Nazarene.”
