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2
The Visit of the Wise Men
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and have come to worship Him.”
3 But when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And having gathered together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired from them where the Christ would be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you shall come forth a Ruler
who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
7 Then Herod, secretly having called the wise men, ascertained from them the time that the star appeared. 8 And having sent them to Bethlehem, he said, “Go and search diligently for the young Child, and as soon as you find Him, report back to me, so that I also may come and worship Him.”
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And having come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and falling down, they worshiped Him, and opening their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been divinely instructed in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew into their own country by another way.
The Escape to Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, and take along the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14 When he arose, he took along the young Child and His mother by night and withdrew into Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
The Massacre of the Infants
16 Then Herod, seeing that he had been deceived by the wise men, was greatly enraged; and he sent and executed all the boys in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
lamentation and weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
The Return from Egypt
19 Now after Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, and take with you the young Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the life of the young Child have died.” 21 Then he rose and took along the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But hearing that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being divinely instructed in a dream, he withdrew into the regions of Galilee. 23 And when he arrived, he settled down in a city called Nazareth, so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito