1占星家朝拜耶穌希律王執政的時候,耶穌生在猶太的伯利恆。那時,有幾個占星家從東方來到耶路撒冷,
1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
2說:“那生下來作猶太人的王的在哪裡?我們看見他的星出現,特來朝拜他。”
2Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3希律王聽見了就心裡不安,全耶路撒冷的居民也是這樣。
3And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4他就召集所有的祭司長和民間的經學家,問他們基督應該生在哪裡。
4And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born.
5他們回答:“在猶太的伯利恆。因為有先知在經上這樣說:
5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet,
6‘猶大地的伯利恆啊!你在猶大的領袖中,並不是最小的,因為必有一位領袖從你那裡出來,牧養我的子民以色列。’”
6And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: For out of thee shall come forth a governor, Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel.
7希律暗中把占星家召來,仔細查問他們,那顆星甚麼時候出現,
7Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared.
8然後派他們到伯利恆去,說:“你們去細心尋訪那小孩,找到了就向我報告,好叫我也去拜他。”
8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found [him,] bring me word, that I also may come and worship him.
9他們聽命去了。他們在東方看見的那顆星,忽然在他們前頭,領他們到那小孩所在的地方,就在上頭停住了。
9And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10他們看見那顆星,歡喜極了;
10And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11進了房子,看見小孩和他母親馬利亞,就俯伏拜他,並且打開寶盒,把黃金、乳香、沒藥作禮物獻給他。
11And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12後來他們在夢中得著指示不要回到希律那裡去,就從別的路回鄉去了。
12And being warned [of God] in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13逃往埃及他們走了以後,主的使者在夢中向約瑟顯現,說:“起來,帶著孩子和他母親逃到埃及去,留在那裡,直到我再指示你,因為希律要尋找這孩子,把他殺掉。”
13Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14約瑟就起來,連夜帶著孩子和他母親往埃及去,
14And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;
15住在那裡,直到希律死了,為的是要應驗主藉先知所說的:“我從埃及召我的兒子出來。”
15and 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 did I call my son.
16屠殺嬰孩希律見自己被占星家愚弄了,就大怒,於是照著他從占星家所問得的日子,下令把伯利恆和附近地方,兩歲以下的小孩全都殺死。
16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men.
17這就應驗了耶利米先知所說的:
17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18“在拉瑪聽見有聲音,是痛哭、極大哀號的聲音;拉結為她的兒女哀哭,不肯受安慰,因為他們都不在了。”
18A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not.
19從埃及回來希律死後,在埃及,主的使者在夢中向約瑟顯現,
19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
20說:“那些要殺害這孩子的人已經死了。起來,帶著孩子和他母親回以色列地去吧。”
20Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child's life.
21約瑟就起來,帶著小孩子和他母親回到以色列地。
21And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22只是聽見亞基老接續他父親希律作了猶太王,他就不敢到猶太地去;又在夢中得了指示,於是往加利利境去,
22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned [of God] in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee,
23來到拿撒勒城住下,這樣就應驗了先知所說的:“他必稱為拿撒勒人。”
23and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene.