The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

(Micah 5:1–6)

And Jesus having been born in Beth-Lehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east came to Jerusalem,

saying, “Where is He who was born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and we came to worship Him.”

And Herod the king having heard, was stirred, and all Jerusalem with him,

and having gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he was inquiring from them where the Christ is born.

And they said to him, “In Beth-Lehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

And you, Beth-Lehem, the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come One leading, who will feed My people Israel.”

Then Herod, having called the magi privately, inquired exactly from them the time of the appearing star,

and having sent them to Beth-Lehem, he said, “Having gone—inquire exactly for the Child, and whenever you may have found, bring me back word, that I also having come may worship Him.”

And they, having heard the king, departed, and behold, the star, that they saw in the east, went before them, until, having come, it stood over where the Child was.

And having seen the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy,

and having come into the house, they found the Child with His mother Mary, and having fallen down they worshiped Him, and having opened their treasures, they presented to Him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh,

and having been divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod, through another way they withdrew to their own region.

The Flight to Egypt

(Hosea 11:1–7)

And on their having withdrawn, behold, a messenger of the LORD appears in a dream to Joseph, saying, “Having risen, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and be there until I may speak to you, for Herod is about to seek the Child to destroy Him.”

And he, having risen, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,

and he was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the LORD through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Weeping and Great Mourning

(Jeremiah 31:1–25)

Then Herod, having seen that he was deceived by the magi, was very angry, 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 magi.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

“A voice in Ramah was heard—weeping and much mourning—Rachel weeping [for] her children, and she would not be comforted because they are not.”

The Return to Nazareth

(Luke 2:39–40)

And Herod having died, behold, a messenger of the LORD appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

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.”

And he, having risen, took the Child and His mother, and came to the land of Israel,

and having heard that Archelaus reigns over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and having been divinely warned in a dream, he withdrew to the parts of Galilee,

and coming, he dwelt in a city named Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through the Prophets, that “He will be called a Nazarene.”

(Micah 5:1–6)

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men

(a)

from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,

“Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,

‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a governor who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”(b)

Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”

They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

The Flight to Egypt

(Hosea 11:1–7)

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”

He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt,

and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”(c)

Weeping and Great Mourning

(Jeremiah 31:1–25)

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.

Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”(d)

The Return to Nazareth

(Luke 2:39–40)

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

“Arise and 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.”

He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,

and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.

Footnotes

(a)2:1 The word for “wise men” (magoi) can also mean teachers, scientists, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, or sorcerers.

(b)2:6 ℘ Micah 5:2

(d)2:18 ℘ Jeremiah 31:15