Matthew 2Matthew2

Bible in Basic EnglishBerean Standard Bible

1. The Pilgrimage of the Magi

   (Micah 5:1–6)

2. 1BBENow when the birth of Jesus took place in Beth-lehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,BSBBSB: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
3. 2BBESaying, Where is the King of the Jews whose birth has now taken place? We have seen his star in the east and have come to give him worship.BSBBSB: asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
4. 3BBEAnd when it came to the ears of Herod the king, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.BSBBSB: When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
5. 4BBEAnd he got together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, questioning them as to where the birth-place of the Christ would be.BSBBSB: And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
6. 5BBEAnd they said to him, In Beth-lehem of Judaea; for so it is said in the writings of the prophet,BSBBSB: “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
7. 6BBEYou Beth-lehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the chiefs of Judah: out of you will come a ruler, who will be the keeper of my people Israel.BSBBSB: ‘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.’”
8. 7BBEThen Herod sent for the wise men privately, and put questions to them about what time the star had been seen.BSBBSB: Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.
9. 8BBEAnd he sent them to Beth-lehem and said, Go and make certain where the young child is; and when you have seen him, let me have news of it, so that I may come and give him worship.BSBBSB: 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.”
10. 9BBEAnd after hearing the king, they went on their way; and the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the young child was.BSBBSB: 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.
11. 10BBEAnd when they saw the star they were full of joy.BSBBSB: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight.
12. 11BBEAnd they came into the house, and saw the young child with Mary, his mother; and falling down on their faces they gave him worship; and from their store they gave him offerings of gold, perfume, and spices.BSBBSB: 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.
13. 12BBEAnd it was made clear to them by God in a dream that they were not to go back to Herod; so they went into their country by another way.BSBBSB: And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.

14. The Flight to Egypt

    (Hosea 11:1–7)

15. 13BBEAnd when they had gone, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream, saying, Get up and take the young child and his mother, and go into Egypt, and do not go from there till I give you word; for Herod will be searching for the young child to put him to death.BSBBSB: 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.”
16. 14BBESo he took the young child and his mother by night, and went into Egypt;BSBBSB: So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,
17. 15BBEAnd was there till the death of Herod; so that the word of the Lord through the prophet might come true, Out of Egypt have I sent for my son.BSBBSB: 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.”

18. Weeping and Great Mourning

    (Jeremiah 31:1–25)

19. 16BBEThen Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was very angry; and he sent out, and put to death all the male children in Beth-lehem and in all the parts round about it, from two years old and under, acting on the knowledge which he had got with care from the wise men.BSBBSB: 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.
20. 17BBEThen the word of Jeremiah the prophet came true,BSBBSB: Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
21. 18BBEIn Ramah there was a sound of weeping and great sorrow, Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be comforted for their loss.BSBBSB: “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.”

22. The Return to Nazareth

    (Luke 2:39–40)

23. 19BBEBut when Herod was dead, an angel of the Lord came in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,BSBBSB: After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
24. 20BBESaying, Get up and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: because they who were attempting to take the young child's life are dead.BSBBSB: “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.”
25. 21BBEAnd he got up, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.BSBBSB: So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel.
26. 22BBEBut when it came to his ears that Archelaus was ruling over Judaea in the place of his father Herod, he was in fear of going there; and God having given him news of the danger in a dream, he went out of the way into the country parts of Galilee.BSBBSB: 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,
27. 23BBEAnd he came and was living in a town named Nazareth: so that the word of the prophets might come true, He will be named a Nazarene.BSBBSB: 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.”