Verses 1 - 12

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men [“wise men” (magoi) can also mean teachers, scientists, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, or sorcerers.] from the east came to Jerusalem,

2 Saying, “Where is He who is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where the Christ would be born.

5 And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judaea: for this is written by the prophet,

6 ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah,

are in no way least amongst the princes of Judah;

for out of you shall come a Governor who shall shepherd My people, Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod, when he had privately and secretly [privily] called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search thoroughly [diligently] for the young Child; and when you have found Him, bring me word again so that I may come and worship Him also.”

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and noticing 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 And when they were coming into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented Him gifts of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed back into their own country another way.

Verses 13 - 15

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.”

Herod Slaughters Innocent Babies

Verses 16 - 18

16 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, he was exceedingly angry [wroth], and sent out, and killed [slew] all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the surrounding coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had carefully learned from the wise men.

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

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah [a place in Palestine],

lamentation, weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children;

she wouldn’t be comforted,

because they are no more.”

The City of Nazareth

Verses 19 - 23

19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

20 saying, “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.