Matthew 2:18 - Plain English Version

¹⁸ “In the town called Ramah, a lot of women are really sad, and they are crying out loud. They are the grand-daughters of Rachel. They are crying for their babies. Nobody can cheer them up, because their babies are dead.”

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

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.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

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. [Jer. 31:15.]

American Standard Version (1901)

¹⁸ A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not.

Common English Bible

¹⁸ A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and much grieving. Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were no more.

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹⁸ "A voice has been heard in Ramah, great weeping and wailing: Rachel crying for her sons. And she was not willing to be consoled, because they were no more."

Matthew 2:18 Cross References

Genesis 37:30

Then he went back to his brothers, and he said to them, “Our young brother isn’t in that hole any more. I’m his oldest brother, but now there is nothing I can do to help him.”

Genesis 42:36

Jacob’s sons wanted to take their brother Benjamin back to Egypt country, just like Joseph told them to. That made Jacob sad. So Jacob said to his sons, “I don’t want to lose any more of my kids. My son Joseph isn’t here any more, and my son Simeon isn’t here any more. And now you want to take my son Benjamin away from me too. All those things are really sad for me.”

Matthew 2:17

That all happened the way God’s man, Jeremiah, wrote in God’s book, a long time ago. This is what he wrote,