1 Jesus nasceu na cidade de Belém, na Judeia, durante o reinado de Herodes. Por aquela altura, chegaram a Jerusalém, vindos de terras do Oriente, uns homens sábios que liam nas estrelas, e que inquiriram:2 Onde está o rei dos judeus que acaba de nascer? Pois vimos a sua estrela lá no Oriente, e viemos para o adorar.3 O rei Herodes ficou muito preocupado ao ouvir isto, e toda a cidade de Jerusalém também. Então o rei mandou reunir os sacerdotes judaicos e os mestres da lei e perguntou-lhes onde havia de nascer o Messias.7 Então Herodes enviou um recado secreto àqueles sábios do Oriente, pedindo que lhe fossem falar; e soube pela boca deles a altura exacta em que tinham visto a estrela pela primeira vez.8 Vão a Belém e procurem bem por esse menino. Quando o encontrarem, venham dizer-me, para que eu também possa ir adorá-lo!9 Terminado o encontro, os sábios retomaram o caminho. E a estrela que tinham visto no oriente ia adiante deles, parando sobre o lugar em que estava o menino. Ao tornar a ver a estrela, a alegria deles foi grande.11 Entrando na casa onde estavam o bebé e Maria, sua mãe, inclinaram-se diante dele em adoração e seguidamente ofereceram-lhe ouro, incenso e mirra. Todavia, quando regressaram à sua terra, não passaram por Jerusalém para informar Herodes, visto que Deus os avisara, por meio de um sonho, de que deveriam voltar por outro caminho.13 Depois de terem partido, um anjo do Senhor avisou José em sonhos: Levanta-te e foge para o Egipto com o menino e sua mãe, e fica por lá até eu te dizer que voltes, pois o rei Herodes vai procurar matá-lo.14 Naquela mesma noite José partiu para o Egipto com Maria e o menino, e lá ficou até à morte do rei Herodes, assim se cumprindo as palavras do profeta: Chamei o meu filho do Egipto.16 Herodes ficou furioso ao saber que os sábios o tinham enganado. Mandou então soldados a Belém com ordem para matar todas as crianças até aos dois anos de idade, tanto na cidade como nos arredores, visto haver dois anos que os sábios tinham dito que a estrela lhes aparecera pela primeira vez. Este acto deu cumprimento à profecia de Jeremias:18 Gritos de aflição vêm de Ramá; um choro sem fim; Raquel inconsolável, lamenta os seus filhos, porque estão mortos.19 Quando Herodes morreu, o anjo do Senhor apareceu de novo em sonhos a José, no Egipto:de Abraão. Isso nada prova! Deus até pode transformar estas pedras em filhos de Abraão!e20 Levanta-te e leva outra vez a criancinha e sua mãe para Israel, pois já morreram aqueles que procuravam a morte do menino.21 José voltou então para Israel com Jesus e sua mãe.22 Mas pelo caminho assustou-se ao saber que o novo rei era Arquelau, filho de Herodes. Contudo, num outro sonho foi avisado de que não se dirigisse para a Judeia, antes seguisse para a Galileia, ficando a morar em Nazaré. Cumpriu-se, assim, a predição dos profetas acerca do Messias: Chamar-se-á nazareno.

1 Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,2 Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him.3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.4 And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born.5 And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet,6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.7 Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go, and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.9 When they had heard the king, they departed; 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 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented to him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.12 And being warned by God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.13 And when they had departed, behold, the 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 bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken from the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead who sought the young child's life.21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.22 But when he heard that Archelaus reigned in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.