The Word Am I

The Gospel According to St. Matthew

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- Chapter 2 -

(Micah 5:1–6)
1
And so, when Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judah, in the days of king Herod, behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
2
saying: “Where is he who was born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and we have come to adore him.”
3
Now king Herod, hearing this, was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4
And gathering together all the leaders of the priests, and the scribes of the people, he consulted with them as to where the Christ would be born.
5
And they said to him: “In Bethlehem of Judea. For so it has been written by the prophet:
6
‘And you, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. For from you shall go forth the ruler who shall guide my people Israel.’ ”
7
Then Herod, quietly calling the Magi, diligently learned from them the time when the star appeared to them.
8
And sending them into Bethlehem, he said: “Go and diligently ask questions about the boy. And when you have found him, report back to me, so that I, too, may come and adore him.”
9
And when they had heard the king, they went away. And behold, the star that they had seen in the east went before them, even until, arriving, it stood still above the place where the child was.(a)
10
Then, seeing the star, they were gladdened by a very great joy.
11
And entering the home, they found the boy with his mother Mary. And so, falling prostrate, they adored him. And opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12
And having received a response in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back by another way to their own region.

The Flight to Egypt

(Hosea 11:1–7)
13
And after they had gone away, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: “Rise up, and take the boy and his mother, and flee into Egypt. And remain there until I tell you. For it will happen that Herod will seek the boy to destroy him.”
14
And getting up, he took the boy and his mother by night, and withdrew into Egypt.
15
And he remained there, until the death of Herod, in order to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Out of Egypt, I called my son.”

Weeping and Great Mourning

(Jeremiah 31:1–25)
16
Then Herod, seeing that he had been fooled by the Magi, was very angry. And so he sent to kill all the boys who were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years of age and under, according to the time that he had learned by questioning the Magi.
17
Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, saying:
18
“A voice has been heard in Ramah, great weeping and wailing: Rachel crying for her sons. And she was not willing to be consoled, because they were no more.”(b)

The Return to Nazareth

(Luke 2:39–40)
19
Then, when Herod had passed away, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt,
20
saying: “Rise up, and take the boy and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. For those who were seeking the life of the boy have passed away.”
21
And rising up, he took the boy and his mother, and he went into the land of Israel.
22
Then, hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in sleep, he withdrew into parts of Galilee.
23
And arriving, he lived in a city which is called Nazareth, in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “For he shall be called a Nazarene.”

Footnotes

(a)2:9 The word ‘cedebat’ sometimes has the meaning of falling, or descending. The star did not merely continue to lead them forward, but it also descended as it led them through Bethlehem. Otherwise, they could not have known from a star (or comet) which location within Bethlehem was correct.(Conte)
(b)2:18 Notice that the words ‘ploratus, plorans’ are translated differently, as ‘weeping, crying.’ It sometimes happens that the same word used twice is translated by two different words in English, or that two different words in Latin are translated by the same word in English. To translated the same word in Latin by always the same word in English would result in a translation that was, at best, stilted, and, at worst, inaccurate or incorrect.(Conte)
(Micah 5:1–6)
1
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men (a) from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
2
“Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
3
When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4
Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.
5
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,
6
‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a governor who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”(b)
7
Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
8
He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
9
They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was.
10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11
They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12
Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

The Flight to Egypt

(Hosea 11:1–7)
13
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
14
He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt,
15
and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”(c)

Weeping and Great Mourning

(Jeremiah 31:1–25)
16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.
17
Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
18
“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”(d)

The Return to Nazareth

(Luke 2:39–40)
19
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
20
“Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”
21
He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,
23
and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.

Footnotes

(a)2:1 The word for “wise men” (magoi) can also mean teachers, scientists, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, or sorcerers.
(b)2:6 ℘ Micah 5:2
(c)2:15 ℘ Hosea 11:1
(d)2:18 ℘ Jeremiah 31:15
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