Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 2:1-12: They Were Overwhelmed with Joy

Matthew 2: In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born 

in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to 

Jerusalem, ²asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of 

the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to 

pay him homage.” ³When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, 

and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and calling together all the chief 

priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where 

the Messiah was to be born. ⁵They told him, “In Bethlehem of 

Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ⁶‘And you, 

Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among 

the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to 

shepherd my people Israel.’” ⁷Then Herod secretly called for the 

wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star 

had appeared. ⁸Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go 

and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, 

bring me word so that I may also go and pay him 

homage.”

⁹When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, 

ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, 

until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they 

saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 

¹¹On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; 

and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their 

treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and 

myrrh. ¹²And having been warned in a dream not to return to 

Herod, they left for their own country by 

another road.