Chapter 2

  Now when the birth of Jesus took place in Beth-lehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,  

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  Saying, Where is the King of the Jews whose birth has now taken place? We have seen his star in the east and have come to give him worship.  

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  And when it came to the ears of Herod the king, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  

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  And he got together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, questioning them as to where the birth-place of the Christ would be.  

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  And they said to him, In Beth-lehem of Judaea; for so it is said in the writings of the prophet,  

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  You Beth-lehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the chiefs of Judah: out of you will come a ruler, who will be the keeper of my people Israel.  

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  Then Herod sent for the wise men privately, and put questions to them about what time the star had been seen.  

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  And he sent them to Beth-lehem and said, Go and make certain where the young child is; and when you have seen him, let me have news of it, so that I may come and give him worship.  

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  And after hearing the king, they went on their way; and the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the young child was.  

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  And when they saw the star they were full of joy.  

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  And they came into the house, and saw the young child with Mary, his mother; and falling down on their faces they gave him worship; and from their store they gave him offerings of gold, perfume, and spices.  

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  And it was made clear to them by God in a dream that they were not to go back to Herod; so they went into their country by another way.  

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  And when they had gone, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream, saying, Get up and take the young child and his mother, and go into Egypt, and do not go from there till I give you word; for Herod will be searching for the young child to put him to death.  

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  So he took the young child and his mother by night, and went into Egypt;  

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  And was there till the death of Herod; so that the word of the Lord through the prophet might come true, Out of Egypt have I sent for my son.  

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  Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was very angry; and he sent out, and put to death all the male children in Beth-lehem and in all the parts round about it, from two years old and under, acting on the knowledge which he had got with care from the wise men.  

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  Then the word of Jeremiah the prophet came true,  

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  In Ramah there was a sound of weeping and great sorrow, Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be comforted for their loss.  

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

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  Saying, Get up and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: because they who were attempting to take the young child's life are dead.  

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  And he got up, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.  

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  But when it came to his ears that Archelaus was ruling over Judaea in the place of his father Herod, he was in fear of going there; and God having given him news of the danger in a dream, he went out of the way into the country parts of Galilee.  

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  And he came and was living in a town named Nazareth: so that the word of the prophets might come true, He will be named a Nazarene.  

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