The ‘wise men’

1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men [magi] from the East came into Jerusalem,

2saying: “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.”

3When Herod the king heard it he became agitated, and all Jerusalem with him.

4And gathering all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ¹²

5So they said to him: “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it stands written by the prophet:

6‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are not at all the least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” ¹³

7Then Herod, calling the wise men secretly, determined from them the time when the star appeared.

8And directing them to Bethlehem he said, “When you get there, search carefully for the young child; and should you find him, bring back word to me, so that I also may go and worship him.” ¹⁴

The Star!

9So having heard the king they departed, and there was the star that they had seen in the East! It went before them until it arrived and stopped above where the young Child was.

10Now when they saw the star they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy! ¹⁵

11And coming into the house ¹⁶they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, ¹⁷and falling down they worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹⁸

12Then, having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by a different road.

The flight to Egypt

13Now when they had departed, again, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying: “Get up, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt and stay there until I tell you; because Herod is about to seek the young Child to destroy Him!”

14So he got up and took the young Child and His mother by night ¹⁹and departed for Egypt.

15And he was there until the death of Herod, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet should be fulfilled, namely: “Out of Egypt I called my Son.” ²⁰

The massacre

16Then Herod, when he saw that he had been deceived by the wise men, became very angry, and he sent out and killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. ²¹

17Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, namely:

18“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children and not wanting to be comforted,
because they are no more.” ²²

The return to Natsareth

19Now Herod having died, there, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt

20saying: “Get up, take the young Child and His mother and go into the land of Israel, for those ²³seeking the life of the young Child have died.”

21So he got up and took the young Child and His mother and went into the land of Israel.

22But hearing that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream he proceeded into the region of Galilee.

23And upon arriving he settled in a city called Natsareth [Branch-town], ²⁴so that what was spoken through the prophets should be fulfilled, that He would be called a Natsorean [Branch-man]. ²⁵