1Jesus 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 sábios2que inquiriram: “Onde está o rei dos judeus que acaba de nascer? Pois vimos a sua estrela lá no Oriente e viemos para o adorar.”3O rei Herodes ficou muito preocupado ao ouvir isto e toda a cidade de Jerusalém também.4Então o rei mandou reunir os principais sacerdotes judaicos e os especialistas na Lei[1] e perguntou-lhes onde haveria de nascer o Cristo.5“Em Belém”, responderam-lhe, “pois o profeta Miqueias escreveu o seguinte:6‘Tu, Belém, na terra de Judá, não és de forma alguma a menor entre as localidades principais de Judá; porque sairá de ti um governador para conduzir o meu povo de Israel.’ ”7Então Herodes enviou um recado secreto àqueles sábios do Oriente, pedindo que lhe fossem falar; e soube pela boca deles a altura exata em que tinham visto a estrela pela primeira vez.8“Vão a Belém e procurem cuidadosamente esse menino. Quando o encontrarem, venham dizer-me, para que também possa ir adorá-lo!”9Terminado o encontro, os sábios retomaram o caminho. A estrela que tinham visto no oriente ia adiante deles, parando sobre o lugar em que estava o menino.10Ao tornar a ver a estrela, a alegria deles foi grande.11Entrando na casa onde estavam o bebé e Maria, sua mãe, inclinaram-se diante dele em adoração e seguidamente ofereceram-lhe ouro, incenso e mirra.12Contudo, 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.
A fuga para o Egito
13Depois de terem partido, um anjo do Senhor avisou José em sonhos: “Levanta-te e foge para o Egito com o menino e sua mãe, e fica por lá até eu te dizer que voltes, pois o rei Herodes vai procurar matá-lo.”14Naquela mesma noite José partiu para o Egito com Maria e o menino,15e ficou lá até à morte do rei Herodes, cumprindo-se assim as palavras do profeta: “Do Egito chamei o meu filho.”16Herodes 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 terem passado dois anos desde que os sábios tinham dito que a estrela lhes aparecera pela primeira vez.17Este ato deu cumprimento à profecia de Jeremias:18“Ouve-se em Ramá um clamor, amargas lamentações e um pranto imenso; é Raquel chorando pelos seus filhos; e está absolutamente inconsolável, porque foram-se definitivamente.”
O regresso a Nazaré
19Quando Herodes morreu, o anjo do Senhor apareceu de novo em sonhos a José, no Egito:20“Levanta-te e leva outra vez a criança e a sua mãe para Israel, pois já morreram aqueles que procuravam a morte do menino.”21José voltou então para Israel com Jesus e a mãe.22Já a 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, mas seguisse antes para a Galileia.23Ficou a morar em Nazaré e cumpriu-se, assim, a predição dos profetas acerca do Cristo: “Chamar-se-á nazareno.”
1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men[1] from the east came to Jerusalem, (Gn 25:6; 1 Rs 4:30; Lc 1:5; Lc 2:4; Lc 2:15; Jo 7:42)2saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose[2] and have come to worship him.” (Nm 24:17; Jr 23:5; Jr 30:9; Zc 9:9; Mt 8:2; Mt 27:11; Mt 27:37; Ap 22:16)3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;4and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. (Mt 1:17)5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:6“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (2 Sm 5:2; Ez 34:23; Mq 5:2; Jo 21:15; Ap 7:17)7Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.8And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”9After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.10When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.11And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Ex 30:23; 1 Sm 9:7; Sl 45:8; Sl 72:10; Is 60:6; Jo 19:39; Ap 18:13)12And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (Gn 20:6; Gn 31:11; Nm 12:6; Jó 33:15; Mt 2:13; Mt 2:19; Mt 2:22; Mt 27:19)
The Flight to Egypt
13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” (Mt 1:20; Mt 2:12; Mt 2:19; Mt 2:22)14And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt15and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Os 11:1; Mt 1:22)
Herod Kills the Children
16Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.17Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: (Mt 1:22; Mt 27:9)18“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Gn 42:13; Gn 42:36; Jr 31:15; Lm 5:7)
The Return to Nazareth
19But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,20saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” (Ex 4:19)21And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. (Mt 2:12)23And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. (Mt 1:22; Mt 4:13; Mc 1:9; Lc 1:26; Lc 2:39; Lc 4:16; Jo 1:45)