1 N ow when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, asking,

Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in the country of Judea. It was the time when Herod was king of that part of the country. Soon after Jesus was born, some wise men who learned things from stars came to Jerusalem from the East.

2 W here is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east at its rising and have come to worship Him.

They asked, “Where is the King of the Jews Who has been born? We have seen His star in the East. We have come to worship Him.”

3 W hen Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed and troubled, and the whole of Jerusalem with him.

King Herod heard this. He and all the people of Jerusalem were worried.

4 S o he called together all the chief priests and learned men (scribes) of the people and anxiously asked them where the Christ was to be born.

He called together all the religious leaders of the Jews and the teachers of the Law. Herod asked them where Christ was to be born.

5 T hey replied to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea. The early preacher wrote,

6 A nd you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are not in any way least or insignificant among the chief cities of Judah; for from you shall come a Ruler ( Leader) Who will govern and shepherd My people Israel.

‘You, Bethlehem of Judah, are not the least of the leaders of Judah. Out of you will come a King Who will lead My people the Jews.’”

7 T hen Herod sent for the wise men secretly, and accurately to the last point ascertained from them the time of the appearing of the star '> how long the star had made itself visible since its rising in the east].

Then Herod had a secret meeting with the men who learned things from stars. He asked them about what time the star had been seen.

8 T hen he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search for the Child carefully and diligently, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and find the young Child. When you find Him, let me know. Then I can go and worship Him also.”

9 W hen they had listened to the king, they went their way, and behold, the star which had been seen in the east in its rising went before them until it came and stood over the place where the young Child was.

After the king had spoken, they went on their way. The star they had seen in the East went before them. It came and stopped over the place where the young Child was.

10 W hen they saw the star, they were thrilled with ecstatic joy.

When they saw the star, they were filled with much joy.

11 A nd on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then opening their treasure bags, they presented to Him gifts—gold and frankincense and myrrh.

They went into the house and found the young Child with Mary, His mother. Then they got down before Him and worshiped Him. They opened their bags of riches and gave Him gifts of gold and perfume and spices.

12 A nd receiving an answer to their asking, they were divinely instructed and warned in a dream not to go back to Herod; so they departed to their own country by a different way.

Then God spoke to them in a dream. He told them not to go back to Herod. So they went to their own country by another road. Joseph Goes to Egypt

13 N ow after they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Get up! '> Tenderly] take unto you the young Child and His mother and flee to Egypt; and remain there till I tell you, for Herod intends to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. He said, “Get up. Take the young Child and His mother to the country of Egypt. Go as fast as you can! Stay there until you hear from Me. Herod is going to look for the young Child to kill Him.”

14 A nd having risen, he took the Child and His mother by night and withdrew to Egypt

During the night he got up and left with the young Child and His mother for Egypt.

15 A nd remained there until Herod’s death. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, Out of Egypt have I called My Son.

He stayed there until Herod died. This happened as the Lord had said through an early preacher, “I called My Son out of Egypt.” Herod Had All the Young Boys Killed

16 T hen Herod, when he realized that he had been misled by the wise men, was furiously enraged, and he sent and put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that territory who were two years old and under, reckoning according to the date which he had investigated diligently and had learned exactly from the wise men.

Herod learned that the wise men had fooled him. He was very angry. He sent men to kill all the young boys two years old and under in Bethlehem and in all the country near by. He decided to do this from what he had heard from the wise men as to the time when the star was seen.

17 T hen was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

Then it happened as the early preacher Jeremiah said it would happen.

18 A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.

He said, “The sound of crying and much sorrow was heard in Ramah. Rachel was crying for her children. She would not be comforted because they were dead.” Joseph Goes from Egypt to Nazareth

19 B ut when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream while he was in Egypt.

20 A nd said, Rise, '> tenderly] take unto you the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.

He said, “Get up. Take the young Child and His mother and go into the land of the Jews. Those who tried to kill the young Child are dead.”

21 T hen he awoke and arose and '> tenderly] took the Child and His mother and came into the land of Israel.

Joseph got up. He took the young Child and His mother and came into the land of the Jews.

22 B ut because he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being divinely warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee.

Joseph heard that Archelaus was the king of the country of Judea. Herod, the father of Archelaus, had died. Joseph was afraid to go there. God told him in a dream to go to the country of Galilee and he went.

23 H e went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled: He shall be called a Nazarene.

Joseph stayed in a town called Nazareth. It happened as the early preachers said it would happen. They said, “Jesus will be called a Nazarene.”