GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New King James Version NKJV
1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea when Herod was king. After Jesus' birth wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem.
1
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
2 They asked, "Where is the one who was born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star rising and have come to worship him."
2
saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
3 When King Herod and all Jerusalem heard about this, they became disturbed.
3
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 He called together all the chief priests and scribes and tried to find out from them where the Messiah was supposed to be born.
4
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 They told him, "In Bethlehem in Judea. The prophet wrote about this:
5
So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. A leader will come from you. He will shepherd my people Israel."
6
'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "
7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men and found out from them exactly when the star had appeared.
7
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.
8 As he sent them to Bethlehem, he said, "Go and search carefully for the child. When you have found him, report to me so that I may go and worship him too."
8
And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."
9 After they had heard the king, they started out. The star they had seen rising led them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
9
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
10 They were overwhelmed with joy to see the star.
10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11 When they entered the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary. So they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
11
And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 God warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they left for their country by another road.
12
Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
13 After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel said to him, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and kill him."
13
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."
14 Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left for Egypt that night.
14
When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
15 He stayed there until Herod died. What the Lord had spoken through the prophet came true: "I have called my son out of 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 When Herod saw that the wise men had tricked him, he became furious. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys two years old and younger in or near Bethlehem. This matched the exact time he had learned from the wise men.
16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
17 Then the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah came true:
17
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18 "A sound was heard in Ramah, the sound of crying in bitter grief. Rachel was crying for her children. She refused to be comforted because they were dead."
18
"A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more."
19 After Herod was dead, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
19
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 The angel said to him, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to Israel. Those who tried to kill the child are dead."
20
saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."
21 Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to Israel.
21
Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, Joseph was afraid to go there. Warned in a dream, he left for Galilee
22
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
23 and made his home in a city called Nazareth. So what the prophets had said came true: "He will be called a Nazarene."
23
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.