1 O ra, dopo che Gesú era nato in Betlemme di Giudea al tempo del re Erode, ecco dei magi dall'oriente arrivarono a Gerusalemme,

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 d icendo: «Dov'è il re dei Giudei che è nato? Poiché noi abbiamo visto la sua stella in oriente e siamo venuti per adorarlo».

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 A ll'udire ciò, il re Erode fu turbato, e tutta Gerusalemme con lui.

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

4 E , radunati tutti i capi dei sacerdoti e gli scribi, del popolo, s'informò da loro dove doveva nascere il Cristo.

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 E d essi gli dissero: «In Betlemme di Giudea, perché cosí è scritto per mezzo del profeta:

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

6 " E tu, Betlemme terra di Giuda, non sei certo la minima fra i principi di Giuda, perché da te uscirà un capo, che pascerà il mio popolo Israele"».

‘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 A llora Erode, chiamati di nascosto i magi, domandò loro con esattezza da quanto tempo la stella era apparsa.

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 E , mandandoli a Betlemme, disse loro «Andate e domandate diligentemente del bambino, e, quando l'avrete trovato, fatemelo sapere, affinché io pure venga ad adorarlo».

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 E d essi, udito il re, partirono; ed ecco, la stella che avevano veduta in oriente andava davanti a loro finché, giunta sul luogo dov'era il bambino, vi si fermò.

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 Q uando essi videro la stella, si rallegrarono di grandissima gioia.

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

11 E , entrati nella casa, trovarono il bambino con Maria sua madre e, prostratisi, lo adorarono. Poi aperti i loro tesori, gli offrirono doni: oro, incenso e mirra.

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 Q uindi, divinamente avvertiti in sogno di non tornare da Erode, per un'altra strada fecero ritorno al loro paese.

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 O ra, dopo che furono partiti, ecco un angelo del Signore apparve in sogno a Giuseppe e gli disse: «Alzati, prendi il bambino e sua madre e fuggi in Egitto, e rimani là finché io non ti avvertirò, perché Erode cercherà il bambino per farlo morire».

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 E gli dunque, destatosi, prese il bambino e sua madre di notte, e si rifugiò in Egitto.

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

15 E rimase là fino alla morte di Erode, affinché si adempisse quello che fu detto dal Signore per mezzo del profeta, che dice: «Ho chiamato il mio figlio fuori dall'Egitto».

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 A llora Erode, vedendosi beffato dai magi, si adirò grandemente e mandò a far uccidere tutti i bambini che erano in Betlemme e in tutti i suoi dintorni, dall'età di due anni in giú, secondo il tempo del quale si era diligentemente informato dai magi.

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 A llora si adempí quello che fu detto dal profeta Geremia che dice:

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

18 « Un grido è stato udito in Rama, un lamento, un pianto e un grande cordoglio; Rachele piange i suoi figli e rifiuta di essere consolata, perché non sono più».

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 O ra, morto Erode, ecco un angelo del Signore apparve in sogno a Giuseppe in Egitto,

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

20 e gli disse: «Alzati, prendi il bambino e sua madre e va' nel paese d'Israele, perché coloro che cercavano la vita del bambino sono morti».

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 E d egli, alzatosi, prese il bambino e sua madre e venne nel paese d'Israele;

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

22 m a, avendo udito che Archelao regnava in Giudea al posto di Erode suo padre, ebbe paura di andare là. E, divinamente avvertito in sogno, si rifugiò nel territorio della Galilea,

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 e , giunto là, abitò in una città detta Nazaret, affinché si adempisse quello che era stato detto dai profeti: «Egli sarà chiamato Nazareno».

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.”