New Heart English Bible

Matthew 2

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, look, Magi 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 And when King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.

5 And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet,

6 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people, Israel.'"

7 Then Herod secretly called the Magi, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him."

9 And they, having heard the king, went their way; and look, the star which they saw in the east went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was.

10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

11 And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

13 Now when they had departed, look, 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 And 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."

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the Magi, 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 Magi.

17 Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she would not be comforted, because they are no more."

19 But when Herod was dead, look, 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 And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and went to 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 Nazorean.