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The Gospel According to St. Matthew

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- Chapter 2 -

(Micah 5:1–6)
1
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
2
asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east (a) and have come to worship Him.”
3
When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4
And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
5
“In Bethlehem 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 be the shepherd of My people Israel.’(b)”
7
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8
And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when 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 in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was.
10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight.
11
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.

The Flight to Egypt

(Hosea 11:1–7)
13
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
14
So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,
15
where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”(c)

Weeping and Great Mourning

(Jeremiah 31:1–25)
16
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.
17
Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18
“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”(d)

The Return to Nazareth

(Luke 2:39–40)
19
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
20
“Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”
21
So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel.
22
But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
23
and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Footnotes

(a)2:2 Or as it rose
(b)2:6 Micah 5:2; see also 2 Samuel 5:2.
(c)2:15 Hosea 11:1
(d)2:18 Jeremiah 31:15
(Micah 5:1–6)
1
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men (a) 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
When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4
Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.
5
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,
6
‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a governor who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”(b)
7
Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
8
He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
9
They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was.
10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11
They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12
Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

The Flight to Egypt

(Hosea 11:1–7)
13
Now when they had departed, behold, 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
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.”(c)

Weeping and Great Mourning

(Jeremiah 31:1–25)
16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, 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 wise men.
17
Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
18
“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”(d)

The Return to Nazareth

(Luke 2:39–40)
19
But when Herod was dead, behold, 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
He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into 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 Nazarene.

Footnotes

(a)2:1 The word for “wise men” (magoi) can also mean teachers, scientists, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, or sorcerers.
(b)2:6 ℘ Micah 5:2
(c)2:15 ℘ Hosea 11:1
(d)2:18 ℘ Jeremiah 31:15
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