1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.” 3And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born. 5And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet,

     6‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
            ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
            FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER,
            WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”

     7Then Herod secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and make careful search for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, that I too may come and worship Him.” 9And having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. 10And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt

     13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.” 14And he arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed for Egypt; 15and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “OUT OF EGYPT DID I CALL MY SON.”

Herod Slaughters Babies

     16Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi. 17Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

     18“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH,
            WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING,
            RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN;
            AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED,
            BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.”

     19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20“Arise and take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21And he arose and took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, 23and came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”