Matthew:2
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Now after the birth of Jesus ,
which took place at Bethlehem in Judaea in the reign of King Herod ,
excitement was produced in Jerusalem by the arrival of certain Magi from the east ,
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inquiring , »
Where is the newly born king of the Jews ?
For we have seen his Star in the east ,
and have come here to do him homage .«
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Reports of this soon reached the king ,
and greatly agitated not only him but all the people of Jerusalem .
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So he assembled all the High Priests and Scribes of the people ,
and anxiously asked them where the Christ was to be born .
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At Bethlehem in Judaea ,«
they replied ; »
for so it stands written in the words of the Prophet ,
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Matthew:2:6 " />
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Thereupon Herod sent privately for the Magi and ascertained from them the exact time of the star '
s appearing .
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He then directed them to go to Bethlehem ,
adding , »
Go and make careful inquiry about the child ,
and when you have found him ,
bring me word ,
that I too may come and do him homage .«
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After hearing what the king said ,
they went to Bethlehem ,
while ,
strange to say ,
the star they had seen in the east led them on until it came and stood over the place where the babe was .
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When they saw the star ,
the sight filled them with intense joy .
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So they entered the house ;
and when they saw the babe with His mother Mary ,
they prostrated themselves and did Him homage ,
and opening their treasure-chests offered gifts to Him –
gold ,
frankincense ,
and myrrh .
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But being forbidden by God in a dream to return to Herod ,
they went back to their own country by a different route .
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When they were gone ,
and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said , »
Rise :
take the babe and His mother and escape to Egypt ,
and remain there till I bring you word .
For Herod is about to make search for the child in order to destroy Him .«
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So Joseph roused himself and took the babe and His mother by night and departed into Egypt .
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There he remained till Herod '
s death ,
that what the Lord had said through the Prophet might be fulfilled ,
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Then Herod ,
finding that the Magi had trifled with him ,
was furious ,
and sent and massacred all the boys under two years of age ,
in Bethlehem and all its neighbourhood ,
according to the date he had so carefully ascertained from the Magi .
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Then were these words ,
spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah ,
fulfilled ,
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Matthew:2:18 " />
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But after Herod '
s death an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt ,
and said to him ,
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Rise from sleep ,
and take the child and His mother ,
and go into the land of Israel ,
for those who were seeking the child '
s life are dead .«
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So he roused himself and took the child and His mother and came into the land of Israel .
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But hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod on the throne of Judaea ,
he was afraid to go there ;
and being instructed by God in a dream he withdrew into Galilee ,
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and went and settled in a town called Nazareth ,
in order that these words spoken through the Prophets might be fulfilled ,