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Matthew 2
New English Translation

The Visit of the Wise Men

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time[a] of King Herod,[b] wise men[c] from the East came to Jerusalem 2 saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose[d] and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod[e] heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem[f] with him. 4 After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law,[g] he asked them where the Christ[h] was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are in no way least among the rulers of Judah,
for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”[i]

7 Then Herod[j] privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. 8 He[k] sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.” 9 After listening to the king they left, and once again[l] the star they saw when it rose[m] led them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star they shouted joyfully.[n] 11 As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down[o] and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense,[p] and myrrh.[q] 12 After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod,[r] they went back by another route to their own country.

The Escape to Egypt

13 After they had gone, an[s] angel of the Lord[t] appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod[u] is going to look for the child to kill him.” 14 Then he got up, took the child and his mother during[v] the night, and went to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod[w] died. In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”[x]

16 When Herod[y] saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men[z] to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud wailing,[aa]
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she did not want to be comforted, because they were[ab] gone.”[ac]

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod[ad] had died, an[ae] angel of the Lord[af] appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21 So[ag] he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus[ah] was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod,[ai] he was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee. 23 He came to a town called Nazareth[aj] and lived there. Then what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled, that Jesus[ak] would be called a Nazarene.[al]

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 2:1 tn Grk “in the days.”
  2. Matthew 2:1 sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Judea (with the support of Rome) from 37 b.c. until he died in 4 b.c. He was known for his extensive building projects (including the temple in Jerusalem) and for his cruelty.
  3. Matthew 2:1 sn The Greek term here, sometimes transliterated into English as magi, describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).
  4. Matthew 2:2 tn Or “in its rising,” referring to the astrological significance of a star in a particular portion of the sky. The term used for the “East” in v. 1 is ἀνατολαί (anatolai, a plural form that is used typically of the rising of the sun), while in vv. 2 and 9 the singular ἀνατολή (anatolē) is used. The singular is typically used of the rising of a star and as such should not normally be translated “in the east” (cf. BDAG 74 s.v. 1: “because of the sg. and the article in contrast to ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν, vs. 1, [it is] prob. not a geograph. expr. like the latter, but rather astronomical…likew. vs. 9”).
  5. Matthew 2:3 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
  6. Matthew 2:3 tn Here the city (Jerusalem) is put by metonymy for its inhabitants (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 579).
  7. Matthew 2:4 tn Or “and scribes of the people.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateus) as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
  8. Matthew 2:4 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
  9. Matthew 2:6 sn A quotation from Mic 5:2.
  10. Matthew 2:7 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
  11. Matthew 2:8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
  12. Matthew 2:9 tn Grk “and behold the star.”
  13. Matthew 2:9 tn See the note on the word “rose” in 2:2.
  14. Matthew 2:10 tn Grk “they rejoiced with very great joy.”
  15. Matthew 2:11 tn Grk “they fell down.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
  16. Matthew 2:11 sn Frankincense refers to the aromatic resin of certain trees, used as a sweet-smelling incense (L&N 6.212).
  17. Matthew 2:11 sn Myrrh consisted of the aromatic resin of certain shrubs (L&N 6.208). It was widely used in the ancient Near East by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans as perfume, as incense, and for medicinal purposes (W. Michaelis, TDNT 7:457). It was also used in preparing a corpse for burial (cf. John 19:39).
  18. Matthew 2:12 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
  19. Matthew 2:13 tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
  20. Matthew 2:13 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.
  21. Matthew 2:13 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Herod the Great was particularly ruthless regarding the succession to his throne.
  22. Matthew 2:14 tn The feminine singular genitive noun νυκτός (nuktos, “night”) indicates the time during which the action of the main verb takes place (ExSyn 124).
  23. Matthew 2:15 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
  24. Matthew 2:15 sn A quotation from Hos 11:1.
  25. Matthew 2:16 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Note the fulfillment of the prophecy given by the angel in 2:13.
  26. Matthew 2:16 tn Or “soldiers.”
  27. Matthew 2:18 tc The LXX of Jer 38:15 (31:15 ET) has “lamentation, weeping, and loud wailing”; most later mss (C D L W Γ Δ 0233 ƒ13 33 565 579 700 1241 1424 M) have a quotation in Matthew which conforms to that of the LXX (θρῆνος καὶ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμός; thrēnos kai klauthmos kai odurmos). But such assimilations were routine among the scribes; as such, they typically should be discounted because they are both predictable and motivated. The shorter reading, without “lamentation and,” is thus to be preferred, especially since it cannot easily be accounted for unless it is the reading that gave rise to the other reading. Further, it is found in the better mss along with a good cross-section of other witnesses (א B Z 0250 ƒ1 lat co).
  28. Matthew 2:18 tn Grk “are”; the Greek text uses a present tense verb.
  29. Matthew 2:18 sn A quotation from Jer 31:15.
  30. Matthew 2:19 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. When Herod the Great died in 4 b.c., his kingdom was divided up among his three sons: Archelaus, who ruled over Judea (where Bethlehem was located, v. 22); Philip, who became tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis (cf. Luke 3:1); and Antipas, who became tetrarch of Galilee.
  31. Matthew 2:19 tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
  32. Matthew 2:19 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.
  33. Matthew 2:21 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s instructions.
  34. Matthew 2:22 sn Archelaus took after his father Herod the Great in terms of cruelty and ruthlessness, so Joseph was afraid to go there. After further direction in a dream, he went instead to Galilee.
  35. Matthew 2:22 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
  36. Matthew 2:23 sn Nazareth was a very small village in the region of Galilee (Galilee lay north of Samaria and Judea). The town was located about 15 mi (25 km) west of the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee. According to Luke 1:26, Mary was living in Nazareth when the birth of Jesus was announced to her.
  37. Matthew 2:23 tn There is no expressed subject of the third person singular verb here; the pronoun “he” is implied. Instead of this pronoun the referent “Jesus” has been supplied in the text to clarify to whom this statement refers.
  38. Matthew 2:23 tn The Greek could be indirect discourse (as in the text), or direct discourse (“he will be called a Nazarene”). Judging by the difficulty of finding OT quotations (as implied in the plural “prophets”) to match the wording here, it appears that the author was using a current expression of scorn that conceptually (but not verbally) found its roots in the OT.
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Mateo 2
Nueva Versión Internacional (Castilian)

Visita de los sabios

2 Después de nacer Jesús en Belén de Judea en tiempos del rey Herodes, he aquí llegaron a Jerusalén unos sabios[a] procedentes del Oriente.

2 ―¿Dónde está el que ha nacido rey de los judíos? —preguntaron—. Vimos salir[b] su estrella y hemos venido a adorarlo.

3 Cuando lo oyó el rey Herodes, se turbó, y toda Jerusalén con él. 4 Así que convocó de entre el pueblo a todos los jefes de los sacerdotes y maestros de la ley, y les preguntó dónde había de nacer el Cristo.

5 ―En Belén de Judea —le respondieron—, porque esto es lo que ha escrito el profeta:

6 »“Pero tú, Belén, en la tierra de Judá,
    de ninguna manera eres la menor entre los principales de Judá;
porque de ti saldrá un príncipe
    que será el pastor de mi pueblo Israel”».[c]

7 Luego Herodes llamó en secreto a los sabios y se enteró por ellos del tiempo exacto en que había aparecido la estrella. 8 Les envió a Belén y les dijo:

―Id e informaros bien acerca de ese niño y, tan pronto como le encontréis, informadme a mí para que también vaya yo y le adore.

9 Después de oír al rey, siguieron su camino, y sucedió que la estrella que habían visto salir iba delante de ellos hasta que se detuvo sobre el lugar donde estaba el niño. 10 Al ver la estrella, se llenaron de alegría. 11 Cuando llegaron a la casa, vieron al niño con María, su madre; y, postrándose, le adoraron. Abrieron sus cofres y le presentaron como regalos oro, incienso y mirra. 12 Entonces, advertidos en sueños de que no volvieran a Herodes, regresaron a su tierra por otro camino.

La huida a Egipto

13 Cuando ya se habían ido, he aquí un ángel del Señor se le apareció en sueños a José y le dijo: «Levántate, toma al niño y a su madre, y huye a Egipto. Quédate allí hasta que yo te avise, porque Herodes va a buscar al niño para matarlo».

14 Así que se levantó cuando todavía era de noche, tomó al niño y a su madre, y partió para Egipto, 15 donde permaneció hasta la muerte de Herodes. De este modo se cumplió lo que el Señor había dicho por medio del profeta: «De Egipto llamé a mi hijo».[d]

16 Cuando Herodes se dio cuenta de que los sabios se habían burlado de él, se enfureció y mandó matar a todos los niños menores de dos años en Belén y en sus alrededores, de acuerdo con el tiempo que había averiguado de los sabios. 17 Entonces se cumplió lo dicho por el profeta Jeremías:

18 «Se oye un grito en Ramá,
    llanto y gran lamentación;
es Raquel, que llora por sus hijos
    y no quiere ser consolada;
¡sus hijos ya no existen!»[e]

El regreso a Nazaret

19 Después de la muerte de Herodes, he aquí un ángel del Señor se le apareció en sueños a José en Egipto 20 y le dijo: «Levántate, toma al niño y a su madre, y vete a la tierra de Israel, porque ya murieron los que amenazaban con quitarle la vida al niño».

21 Así que se levantó José, tomó al niño y a su madre, y regresó a la tierra de Israel. 22 Pero, al oír que Arquelao reinaba en Judea en lugar de su padre Herodes, tuvo miedo de ir allá. Advertido por Dios en sueños, se retiró a la región de Galilea, 23 y fue a vivir en un pueblo llamado Nazaret. Con esto se cumplió lo dicho por los profetas: «Será llamado nazareno».

Footnotes

  1. 2:1 sabios. Lit. magos; también en vv. 7, 16.
  2. 2:2 salir. Alt. en el oriente; también en v. 9.
  3. 2:6 Mi 5:2
  4. 2:15 Os 11:1
  5. 2:18 Jer 31:15
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Matthew 2
New International Version

The Magi Visit the Messiah

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,(A) during the time of King Herod,(B) Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?(C) We saw his star(D) when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem(E) in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”(F)

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.(G) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts(H) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned(I) in a dream(J) not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The Escape to Egypt

13 When they had gone, an angel(K) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.(L) “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”(M)

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled(N) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[c](O)

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:(P)

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel(Q) weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”[d](R)

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel(S) of the Lord appeared in a dream(T) to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”(U)

21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream,(V) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,(W) 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.(X) So was fulfilled(Y) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(Z)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 2:1 Traditionally wise men
  2. Matthew 2:6 Micah 5:2,4
  3. Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1
  4. Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:15
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