God's New Bible

The Gospel According to St. Matthew

Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 2 -

(Micah 5:1–6)
1
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, learned men from the east arrived in Jerusalem saying,
2
“Where is he who was born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
3
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4
Herod brought together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, and he asked them, “Where is the Christ to be born?”
5
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what was written by the prophet,
6
’But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7
Then Herod secretly called the learned men to ask them exactly what time the star had appeared.
8
He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
9
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star that they had seen in the east went before them until it came and stood still over where the young child was.
10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with very great joy.
11
They went into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother. They bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12
God warned them in a dream not to return to Herod, so they departed to their own country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt

(Hosea 11:1–7)
13
After they had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the young child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Remain there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
14
That night Joseph rose and took the young child and his mother and departed into Egypt.
15
He remained there until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

Weeping and Great Mourning

(Jeremiah 31:1–25)
16
Then Herod, when he saw that he had been mocked by the learned men, was very angry. He sent and killed all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old and under, according to the time that he had determined exactly from the learned men.
17
Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet,
18
“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.”

The Return to Nazareth

(Luke 2:39–40)
19
When Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,
20
“Get up and take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
21
Joseph rose, took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. After God warned him in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee
23
and went and lived in a city called Nazareth. This fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
(Micah 5:1–6)
1
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,
2
Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
3
When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4
Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.
5
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,
6
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)
7
Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
8
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.”
9
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.
10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11
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.
12
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)
13
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.”
14
He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt,
15
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)
16
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.
17
Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
18
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)
19
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
20
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.”
21
He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22
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,
23
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
(c)2:15 ℘ Hosea 11:1
(d)2:18 ℘ Jeremiah 31:15