1
NowδὲwhenJesusΤοῦ Ἰησοῦwas bornγεννηθέντοςinἐνBethlehemΒηθλέεμof Judeaτῆς Ἰουδαίαςinἐνthe daysἡμέραιςof HerodἩρῴδουthe king,τοῦ βασιλέωςlook,ἰδοὺmagiμάγοιfromἀπὸthe eastἀνατολῶνarrivedπαρεγένοντοinεἰςJerusalem,Ἱεροσόλυμα
Matthew 2:1
Study it in the app“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, look, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,”
With the Greek beneath
Matthew 2:1, word by word
- JesusἸησοῦIēsou
Jesus
Jesus, the Greek form of the Hebrew Yehoshua (Joshua), which means "YHWH saves". It is the name the angel told Joseph to give him (Matthew 1:21).
Where else “Iēsou” appears- was bornγεννηθέντοςgennēthentos
be born
To give birth, or come into the world.
Where else “gennēthentos” appears- BethlehemΒηθλέεμBēthleem
Bethlehem
See it on the mapWhere else “Bēthleem” appears- of JudeaἸουδαίαςIoudaias
Judea
See it on the mapWhere else “Ioudaias” appears- the daysἡμέραιςhēmerais
lifetime
The time or the years of someone's life.
Where else “hēmerais” appears- of HerodἩρῴδουHērōidou
Herod
Herod, the name of several rulers of one family under Rome: Herod the Great, king of Judea when Jesus was born; his son Herod Antipas, who ruled Galilee; and his grandson Herod Agrippa I.
Where else “Hērōidou” appears- the kingβασιλέωςbasileōs
king
The one who rules a people with the highest authority.
Where else “basileōs” appears- magiμάγοιmagoi
magus
Eastern wise man who studied the stars.
Where else “magoi” appears- the eastἀνατολῶνanatolōn
east
The quarter of sky and land toward which day breaks.
Where else “anatolōn” appears- arrivedπαρεγένοντοparegenonto
arrive, come
Arrive, come, be present.
Where else “paregenonto” appears- JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosolyma
Jerusalem
See it on the mapWhere else “Hierosolyma” appears
Translation note
The magi were wise men from the east who studied the stars, probably from Persia or Babylon. Herod the Great reigned in Judea under Rome and died around 4 BC.
Places in this verse
1Bethlehem
Today: Bethlehem (Bayt Lahm), West Bank
A town in Judea, about 5.5 miles (9 km) south of Jerusalem.
Rachel died near it (Gen 35:19), Naomi and Ruth lived there (Ruth 1:1), and David was born there. Micah said a ruler would come from it, and Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2; Matt 2:1).
2Judea
Today: southern Israel and West Bank, Judean hills
The southern region of Israel, including Jerusalem; in Jesus' time it was a Roman province.
Jesus was born there, and John the Immerser preached there (Matt 2:1; 3:1). Jesus told his disciples to be witnesses in Judea (Acts 1:8).
3Jerusalem
Today: Old City of Jerusalem
A city in the hills of Judea, about 22 miles (35 km) west of the Dead Sea and 35 miles (55 km) east of the Mediterranean.
David took it and made it his city (2 Sam 5:7); Solomon built the temple there (1 Kgs 8:1). Jesus was presented there, and the apostles' witness began from it (Luke 2:22; Acts 1:8).
The context
1 · This verse (above)
2saying, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to bow down before him.”
To study Matthew 2 in a group
1. What it says
What did the magi do when they found the child with Mary his mother (v. 11)?
2. What it means
Why was King Herod troubled, and all Jerusalem with him, when he heard about this child (v. 3)?
3. How I live it
Joseph obeyed even at night and without understanding everything (v. 14). What simple step of obedience is yours today?