Matthew 2

Wise Men Visit Jesus

1Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea while Herod was king. Wise men then came from the east to Jerusalem 2and asked, “Where is the child who has been born as the new king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose, and now we’ve come to worship him.”

3When King Herod heard about this, he became very concerned, as did everyone else in Jerusalem. 4He called together all the Jewish chief priests and teachers of the law to ask them where the Messiah was going to be born. 5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “because this is what the prophet has written:

6“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are certainly not the least important of the rulers in Judah.

A ruler will come out of you

who will care for my people Israel like a shepherd.’ ”

7Then Herod spoke privately with the wise men and found out exactly when the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and told them, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, send word to me so I can come and worship him too.”

9After the king had given them these orders, the wise men went on their way. The star they’d seen when it rose went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. 11The wise men went into the house, and there they saw the child with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him, and then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12But because they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by a different way.

Jesus’ Family Escapes to Egypt

13After the wise men had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt! Stay there until I tell you to come back, because Herod is going to try to find the child and kill him.”

14So Joseph got up in the night and left for Egypt with the child and his mother. 15They all stayed there until King Herod died. This made the words that the Lord had spoken through the prophet come true: “I called my son out of Egypt.”

16When Herod realized that the wise men had tricked him, he became very angry. He gave orders to kill all the boys two years old and younger who were living in Bethlehem and the area around it. This was because the wise men had first seen the star two years earlier. 17This made the words of Jeremiah the prophet come true. He had said,

18“A voice is heard in Ramah,

the sound of crying and deep sadness.

Rachel is crying over her children

and she refuses to be comforted,

because they are gone.”

Jesus’ Family Returns to Nazareth

19After this Herod died, and Joseph, who was still in Egypt, had a dream. An angel of the Lord appeared to him 20and said, “Get up! Take the child and his mother and go back to the land of Israel, because the people who were trying to kill him are dead.”

21So Joseph got up and took the child and his mother back to the land of Israel. 22But when he learned that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, he was afraid to go there. He was warned in a dream, and he went back to the land of Galilee instead. 23There he lived in a town called Nazareth. The prophets had said that Jesus would be called a Nazarene, and in this way their words came true.

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Matthew 2

The Visit of the Wise Men

1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea # Mic 5:2; Lk 2:4–7 in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is He who was born King of the Jews? # Jer 23:5 For we have seen His star in the east # Nu 24:17 and have come to worship Him.”

3When Herod the king heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where Christ should be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem # Ge 35:19 of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote:

6‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are no longer least among the princes of Judah;

for out of you shall come a ruler, # Mic 5:2; Jn 7:42

who will shepherd My people Israel.’ # Mic 5:4 # 2:6 Mic 5:2. ”

7Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, carefully inquired of them what time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring me word again, so that I may come and worship Him also.”

9When they heard the king, they departed. And behold, the star which they saw in the east went before them until it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great excitement. 11And when they came into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary, His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. # Mt 14:33 And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: # Ps 72:10 gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12But being warned in a dream # Mt 2:22; 27:19 that they should not return to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

The Escape to Egypt

13Now when they departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, # Mt 1:20; Ac 5:19 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word. For Herod will seek the young Child to kill Him.”

14When he rose, he took the young Child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt, 15and remained there until the death of Herod, to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called My Son.” # Ex 4:22; Hos 11:1 # 2:15 Hos 11:1.

The Killing of the Infants

16Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was utterly furious and sent forth and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and the surrounding region, # Ex 1:16; Isa 59:7 from two years old and under, based on the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. 17Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet:

18“In Ramah a voice was heard,

grieving and weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,

and she would not be comforted,

because they are no more.” # Ge 42:36; Jer 31:15 # 2:18 Jer 31:15.

The Return from Egypt

19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, # Mt 1:20; 2:13 20saying, “Arise, 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.” # Ex 4:19

21And he rose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus reigned in Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Nevertheless, being warned by God in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. # Lk 2:39 23And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, # Jn 1:45–46 that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” # Isa 11:1

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