Matthew, 2

1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

1. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Judea, during the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem.

2. Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

2. They asked, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw the rising of his star in the east and have come to honor him."

3. When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

3. When Herod heard this he was greatly disturbed and with him all Jerusalem.

4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

4. He immediately called a meeting of all high-ranking priests and those who taught the people of God his Law, and asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

5. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

5. "In the town of Bethlehem in Judea," they told him, "for this is what the prophet wrote:

6. And thou Bethlehem, [in] the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

6. And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the clans of Judah, for from you will come a leader, the one who is to shepherd my people Israel."

7. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

7. Then Herod secretly called the wise men and asked them the precise time the star appeared.

8. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found [him], bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

8. Then he sent them to Bethlehem with the instruction, "Go and get precise information about the child. As soon as you have found him, report to me, so that I too may go and honor him."

9. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

9. After the meeting with the king, they set out. The star that they had seen in the East went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.

10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

10. The wise men were overjoyed on seeing the star again.

11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

11. They went into the house and when they saw the child with Mary his mother, they knelt and worshiped him. They opened their bags and offered him their gifts of gold, incense and myrrh.

12. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

12. In a dream they were warned not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their home country by another way.

13. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

13. After the wise men had left, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you for Herod will soon be looking for the child in order to kill him."

14. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

14. Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left that night for Egypt,

15. And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

15. where he stayed until the death of Herod. In this way, what the Lord had said through the prophet was fulfilled: I called my son out of Egypt.

16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

16. When Herod found out that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was furious. He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its neighborhood who were two years old or under. This was done in line with what he had learned from the wise men about the time when the star appeared.

17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

17. In this way, what the prophet Jeremiah had said was fulfilled:

18. In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping [for] her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

18. A cry is heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation: Rachel weeps for her children. She refuses to be comforted, for they are no more.

19. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

19. After Herod's death, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said,

20. Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

20. "Get up, take the child and his mother and go back to the land of Israel, because those who tried to kill the child are dead."

21. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

21. So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.

22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

22. But when Joseph heard that Archilaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, he was afraid to go there. He was given further instructions in a dream, and went to the region of Galilee.

23. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

23. There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way what was said by the prophets was fulfilled: He shall be called a Nazorean.