Matthew 2 - New American Standard Bible 1995 with Strong Numbers

The Visit of the Magi

¹ Nowafter Jesuswas bornin Bethlehemof Judeain the daysof Herodthe king,magifrom the eastarrivedin Jerusalem,saying,

² "Whereis He who has been bornKingof the Jews?For we sawHis starin the eastand have cometo worshipHim."

³ When Herodthe kingheard[this], he was troubled,and allJerusalemwith him.

⁴ Gathering togetherallthe chief priestsand scribesof the people,he inquiredof them wherethe Messiahwas to be born.

⁵ They saidto him, "In Bethlehemof Judea;for thisis whathas been writtenby the prophet:

⁶ AND YOU, BETHLEHEM,LANDOF JUDAH,ARE BY NO MEANSLEASTAMONGTHE LEADERSOF JUDAH;FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTHA RULERWHOWILL SHEPHERDMY PEOPLEISRAEL.'"

⁷ ThenHerodsecretlycalledthe magiand determinedfrom them the exact timethe starappeared.

⁸ And he sentthem to Bethlehemand said,"Goand searchcarefullyfor the Child;and whenyou have found[Him], reportto me, sothat I toomay comeand worshipHim."

⁹ Afterhearingthe king,they went their way;and the star,whichthey had seenin the east,went on beforethem untilit cameand stoodover[the place] wherethe Childwas.

¹⁰ When they sawthe star,they rejoicedexceedinglywith greatjoy.

¹¹ Aftercominginto the housethey sawthe Childwith MaryHis mother;and they fellto the ground and worshipedHim. Then,openingtheir treasures,they presentedto Him giftsof gold,frankincense,and myrrh.

¹² And having been warned[by God] in a dreamnot to returnto Herod,the magi leftfor their own countryby anotherway.

The Flight to Egypt

¹³ Nowwhen they had gone,behold,an angelof the Lordappearedto Josephin a dreamand said,"Getup! Takethe Childand His motherand fleeto Egypt,and remainthereuntilI tellyou; for Herodis goingto searchfor the Childto destroyHim."

¹⁴ SoJoseph gotup and tookthe Childand His motherwhile it was still night,and leftfor Egypt.

¹⁵ He remainedthereuntilthe deathof Herod.[This was] to fulfillwhathad been spokenby the Lordthroughthe prophet:"OUT OF EGYPTI CALLEDMY SON."

Herod Slaughters Babies

¹⁶ Thenwhen Herodsawthat he had been trickedby the magi,he became veryenraged,and sentand slewallthe male childrenwho were in Bethlehemand allits vicinity,from two years oldand under,accordingto the timewhichhe had determinedfrom the magi.

¹⁷ Thenwhathad been spokenthroughJeremiahthe prophetwas fulfilled:

¹⁸ "A VOICEWAS HEARDIN RAMAH,WEEPINGAND GREATMOURNING,RACHELWEEPINGFOR HER CHILDREN;AND SHE REFUSEDTO BE COMFORTED,BECAUSETHEY WERE NOMORE."

¹⁹ But when Heroddied,behold,an angelof the Lordappearedin a dreamto Josephin Egypt,and said,

²⁰ "Getup, takethe Childand His mother,and gointo the landof Israel;for thosewho soughtthe Child'slifeare dead."

²¹ SoJoseph gotup, tookthe Childand His mother,and cameinto the landof Israel.

²² But when he heardthat Archelauswas reigningover Judeain placeof his fatherHerod,he was afraidto gothere.Thenafter being warned[by God] in a dream,he leftfor the regionsof Galilee,

²³ and cameand livedin a citycalledNazareth.[This was] to fulfillwhatwas spokenthroughthe prophets:"He shall be calleda Nazarene."