Matthew:2
Seeker Overlay ON
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After the birth of Jesus ,
at Bethlehem of Judea ,
in the reign of King Herod ,
certain eastern magicians came to Jerusalem ,
and inquired ,
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Where is the new-born King of the Jews ;
for we have seen his star in the east country ,
and are coming to do him homage ?
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King Herod hearing this ,
was alarmed ,
and all Jerusalem with him .
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And having assembled all the chief priests and the scribes of the people ,
he demanded of them where the Messiah should be born .
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They answered ,
at Bethlehem of Judea ,
for thus it is written by the Prophet ,
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And thou Bethlehem ,
in the canton of Judah ,
are not the least illustrious among the cities of Judah ;
for out of thee shall come a ruler ,
who will govern my people Israel .»
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Then Herod having secretly called the magicians ,
procured from them exact information concerning the time of the star '
s appearing .
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And sending them to Bethlehem ,
he said ,
Go ,
make an exact inquiry about the child ;
and when you have found him bring me word ,
that I may go also ,
and pay him homage .
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Having heard the King ,
they departed ;
and lo !
the star which had appeared to them in the east country ,
moved before them ,
till it came ,
and stood over the place ,
where the child was .
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When they again saw the star ,
they rejoiced exceedingly .
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And being come into the house ,
they found the child with Mary his mother ;
and ,
prostrating themselves ,
did him homage .
Then opening their caskets ,
they offered ,
as presents to him ,
gold ,
frankincense ,
and myrrh .
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And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod ,
they went home another way .
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When they were gone ,
lo !
a messenger of the Lord appearing to Joseph in a dream ,
said ,
Arise ,
take the child with his mother ,
and flee into Egypt ;
and remain there till I order you ;
for Herod will seek the child to destroy him .
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Accordingly he arose ,
took the child with his mother ,
and withdrew by night into Egypt ,
* «
where he continued until the death of Herod ;
so that ,
what the Lord had spoken by the Prophet ,
was verified ,» '
Out of Egypt I called my Son .'
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Then Herod ,
finding that he had been deceived by the magicians ,
was highly incensed and dispatched emissaries who slew ,
by his order ,
all the male children in Bethlehem ,
and in all its territory ,
from those entering the second year ,
down to the time of which he had procured exact information from the magicians .
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Then was the word of Jeremiah the Prophet verified ,
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A cry was heard in Ramah ,
lamentation ,
and weeping ,
and bitter complaint :
Rachel bewailing her children ,
and refusing to be comforted ,
because they are no more .»
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When Herod was dead ,
an angel of the Lord appearing in a dream to Joseph in Egypt ,
said ,
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Arise ,
take the child with his mother ,
and go into the land of Israel ;
for they are dead who sought his life .
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Accordingly ,
he arose ,
took the child with his mother ,
and came to the land of Israel ;
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but hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod in the throne of Judea ,
he was afraid to return thither ;
and being warned in a dream ,
retired into the district of Galilee ,
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and resided in a city named Nazareth ;
in this verifying the declarations of the Prophet concerning Jesus ,
that he should be called a Nazarene .