Matthew 2 – NIVUK & CCB

New International Version – UK

Matthew 2:1-23

The Magi visit the Messiah

1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi2:1 Traditionally wise men from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’

3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah 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 shepherd my people Israel.”2:6 Micah 5:2,4

7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’

9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The escape to Egypt

13When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’

14So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’2:15 Hosea 11:1

16When Herod realised that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17Then what was said 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.’2:18 Jer. 31:15

The return to Nazareth

19After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.’

21So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

马太福音 2:1-23

智者来朝拜

1希律王执政期间,耶稣降生在犹太伯利恒城。

当时有几位智者2:1 智者”或译“占星家”下同7节和16节。从东方来到耶路撒冷2问道:“那生来做犹太人之王的在哪里呢?我们在东方看见祂的星,特来朝拜祂。”

3希律王听后,心里不安,全城的人都感到不安。 4希律王就召来祭司长和律法教师,问他们:“基督在哪里降生呢?”

5他们回答说:“在犹太伯利恒,因为先知这样记载,

6“‘犹大地区的伯利恒啊!

你在犹大各城中并不是最小的,

因为有一位君王要从你那里出来,

牧养我的以色列子民。’”

7于是,希律暗中召见那几位智者,仔细查问那星出现的准确时间, 8然后派他们去伯利恒,并吩咐道:“你们去仔细寻访那个小孩,找到了,就回来报信,我也好去朝拜祂。”

9他们听了王的吩咐,就去了。忽然,那颗曾在东方出现的星又出现在他们前面,引领他们来到小孩耶稣所在的地方,便停下来。 10他们看见那颗星,喜出望外。

11他们进了屋子,看见孩子和祂母亲玛丽亚,就俯伏在地上拜祂,并打开盛宝物的盒子献上黄金、乳香和没药作礼物。 12他们在梦中得到指示不可回希律那里,便改道返回了家乡。

逃往埃及

13他们离开之后,主的天使在梦中向约瑟显现,说:“起来,带着小孩子和祂母亲逃往埃及,住在那里等候我的通知,因为希律要寻找这孩子,杀害祂。” 14于是,约瑟起来带着孩子和祂母亲连夜逃往埃及15并在那里一直住到希律死了。这就应验了主借着先知所说的话:“我把儿子从埃及召出来。”

16希律见自己被智者愚弄,大为恼怒,便照着智者所说的时间推算,下令把伯利恒附近两岁以下的男孩杀光。 17这正应验了耶利米先知的话:

18“在拉玛有痛哭哀号的声音,

拉结在为儿女哀痛,

不肯接受安慰,

因为他们都死了!”

定居拿撒勒

19希律死后,主的天使在梦中向在埃及约瑟显现,说: 20“起来,带着孩子和祂母亲回以色列去吧!因为要杀害孩子的人已经死了。” 21约瑟就起来,带着孩子和祂母亲返回以色列

22约瑟听闻亚基劳继承父亲希律的王位统治犹太,就不敢回犹太。这时,他在梦中得到主的指示,便前往加利利地区, 23定居在拿撒勒镇。这应验了先知的话:“祂将被称为拿撒勒人。”