| King James Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, | 1Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, |
| 2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. | 2“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” |
| 3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. | 3King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. |
| 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. | 4He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” |
| 5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, | 5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: |
| 6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. | 6‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ ” |
| 7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. | 7Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. |
| 8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. | 8Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” |
| 9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. | 9After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. |
| 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. | 10When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! |
| 11And when they were come 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 unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. | 11They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. |
| 12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. | 12When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. The Escape to Egypt |
| 13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. | 13After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” |
| 14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: | 14That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, |
| 15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. | 15and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” |
| 16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. | 16Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. |
| 17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, | 17Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: |
| 18In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. | 18“A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.” The Return to Nazareth |
| 19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, | 19When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. |
| 20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. | 20“Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.” |
| 21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. | 21So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. |
| 22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: | 22But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. |
| 23And 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. | 23So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.” |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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