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Matthew 2
New Testament for Everyone
Matthew 2
New Testament for Everyone
The Magi visit Jesus
2 When Jesus was born, in Bethlehem of Judaea, at the time when Herod was king, some wise and learned men came to Jerusalem from the East.
2 “Where is the one,” they asked, “who has been born to be king of the Jews? We have seen his star rising in the East, and we have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this, he was very disturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, and inquired from them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 “In Bethlehem of Judaea,” they replied. “That’s what it says in the prophet:
6 You, Bethlehem, in Judah’s land
are not the least of Judah’s princes;
from out of you will come the ruler
who will shepherd Israel my people.”
7 Then Herod called the wise men to him in secret. He found out from them precisely when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem.
“Off you go,” he said, “and make a thorough search for the child. When you find him, report back to me, so that I can come and worship him too.”
9 When they heard what the king said, they set off. There was the star, the one they had seen rising in the East, going ahead of them! It went and stood still over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were beside themselves with joy and excitement. 11 They went into the house and saw the child, with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure-chests and gave him presents: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
12 They were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they returned to their own country by a different route.
Travels to Egypt
13 After the Magi had gone, suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.
“Get up,” he said, “and take the child, and his mother, and hurry off to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to hunt for the child, to kill him.”
14 So he got up and took the child and his mother by night, and went off to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until the death of Herod. This happened to fulfill what the Lord said through the prophet:
Out of Egypt I called my son.
16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the Magi, he flew into a towering rage. He dispatched people to kill all the boys in Bethlehem, and in all its surrounding districts, from two years old and under, according to the time the Magi had told him. 17 That was when the word that came through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18 There was heard a voice in Rama,
crying and loud lamentation.
Rachel is weeping for her children,
and will not let anyone comfort her,
because they are no more.
19 After the death of Herod, suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
20 “Get up,” he said, “and take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel. Those who wanted to kill the child 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 ruling Judaea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. After being advised in a dream, he went off to the region of Galilee. 23 When he got there, he settled in a town called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what the prophet had spoken:
He shall be called a Nazorean.
Matthew 2
New International Version
Matthew 2
New International Version
The Magi Visit the Messiah
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,(A) during the time of King Herod,(B) Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?(C) We saw his star(D) 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(E) 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.’[b]”(F)
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.(G) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts(H) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned(I) in a dream(J) 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(K) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.(L) “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.”(M)
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(N) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[c](O)
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:(P)
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel(Q) weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”[d](R)
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel(S) of the Lord appeared in a dream(T) to Joseph in Egypt 20 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.”(U)
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,(V) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,(W) 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.(X) So was fulfilled(Y) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(Z)
Footnotes
- Matthew 2:1 Traditionally wise men
- Matthew 2:6 Micah 5:2,4
- Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1
- Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:15
New Testament for Everyone (NTFE) 
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
New International Version (NIV) 
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