Matthew 2:11

“And coming into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell and bowed down before him; and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:11 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

Andκαὶcomingἐλθόντεςintoεἰςthe house,τὴν οἰκίανthey sawεἶδονthe childτὸ παιδίονwithμετὰMaryΜαρίαςhis mother,τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦandκαὶthey fellπεσόντεςand bowed down beforeπροσεκύνησανhim;αὐτῷandκαὶopeningἀνοίξαντεςtheir treasures,τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶνthey offeredπροσήνεγκανhimαὐτῷgifts:δῶραgoldχρυσὸνandκαὶfrankincenseλίβανονandκαὶmyrrh.σμύρναν

Context

Frankincense and myrrh were aromatic substances. The law uses them in the anointing oil and in the incense of the sanctuary (Exodus 30:23, 34); myrrh was also used in burials (John 19:39).

Source: Exodus 30:23; Exodus 30:34; John 19:39

Documented fact

Matthew 2:11, word by word

comingἐλθόντεςelthontes

come

To move to where someone is or to a place, and be present there.

Where else “elthontes” appears

the houseοἰκίανoikian

house

The building where a family lives.

Where else “oikian” appears

they sawεἶδονeidon

see

To perceive with sight, to look and notice what is in front.

Where else “eidon” appears

the childπαιδίονpaidion

child

A child of few years, boy or girl.

Where else “paidion” appears

MaryΜαρίαςMarias

Mary

Mary, the name of several women in the New Testament: Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and others.

Where else “Marias” appears

his motherμητρὸςmētros

mother

The woman who gives birth to a child and raises it.

Where else “mētros” appears

they fellπεσόντεςpesontes

fall down

To fall down before someone to plead or worship.

Where else “pesontes” appears

and bowed down beforeπροσεκύνησανprosekynēsan

bow down

To bow to the ground before someone.

Where else “prosekynēsan” appears

openingἀνοίξαντεςanoixantes

open

Open.

Where else “anoixantes” appears

their treasuresθησαυροὺςthēsaurous

treasury

The place where valuables are kept.

Where else “thēsaurous” appears

they offeredπροσήνεγκανprosēnenkan

offer

To present a sacrifice or gift to God.

Where else “prosēnenkan” appears

giftsδῶραdōra

gift

Something given to another to honor or gladden him.

Where else “dōra” appears

goldχρυσὸνchryson

gold

Gold; also things made of gold.

Where else “chryson” appears

frankincenseλίβανονlibanon

frankincense

Frankincense, a sweet-smelling resin burned in worship.

Where else “libanon” appears

myrrhσμύρνανsmyrnan

myrrh

Myrrh, a costly fragrant resin used in perfumes and for preparing the dead.

Where else “smyrnan” appears

The context

10And seeing the star, they rejoiced with a very great joy.

11 · This verse (above)

12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another way.

Read all of Matthew 2

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?

How to use it