¹ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem,

² saying: Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and have come to do him homage.

³ When Herod the king heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

⁴ And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born.

⁵ And they said to him: In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet:

⁶ And thou, Bethlehem, city of Judah, art by no means the least among the chiefs of Judah; for out of thee shall come a leader, that shall be a shepherd to my people Israel.

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the Magi, inquired of them strictly at what time the star, then visible, first made its appearance:

⁸ and sending them to Bethlehem, he said: Go, make strict inquiry for the young child: and when you have found him, bring me word, that I also may go and do him homage.

⁹ When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over the place where the young child was.

¹⁰ And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with very great joy.

¹¹ And having come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother; and falling down, they did him homage. And when they had opened their treasures, they offered to him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

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

¹³ 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 be there till I bring you word; for Herod is about to seek for the young child, to destroy him.

¹⁴ And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt,

¹⁵ and was there till the death of Herod; that the word might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through his prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my Son.

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the Magi, was greatly enraged, and sent out and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all its borders, from the age of two years and under, according to the time which he had strictly inquired of the Magi.

¹⁷ Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

¹⁸ A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and weeping, and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted because they are no more.

¹⁹ But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

²⁰ saying: Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead who sought the young child’s life.

²¹ And 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 in Judea in place of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither. But being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the regions of Galilee,

²³ and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that the word might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets: He shall be called a Nazarene.