Psalm 81 - Matthew 1 - Matthew 2

Psalm 81

1> Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!

2Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, The pleasant lyre with the harp.

3Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, At the full moon, on our feast day.

4For it is a statute for Israel, An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, When he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn't know.

6"I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.

7You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah." Selah.

8"Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me!

9There shall be no strange god in you, Neither shall you worship any foreign god.

10I am Yahweh, your God, Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11But my people didn't listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.

12So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, That they might walk in their own counsels.

13Oh that my people would listen to me, That Israel would walk in my ways!

14I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn my hand against their adversaries.

15The haters of Yahweh would cringe before him, And their punishment would last forever.

16But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock."

Jesus and the Kingdom

Matthew 1

1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ{Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) both mean "Anointed One"}, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers. 3Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram. 4Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon. 5Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse. 6Jesse became the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. 7Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa. 8Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. 9Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah. 10Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah. 11Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel. 13Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor. 14Azor became the father of Sadoc. Sadoc became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud. 15Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. 16Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus{"Jesus" is a Greek variant of the Jewish name "Yehoshua," which means "Yah saves." "Jesus" is also the masculine form of "Yeshu'ah," which means "Salvation."}, who is called Christ. 17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations. 18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. 20But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins." 22Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, And shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;" Which is, being interpreted, "God with us." 24Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25and didn't know her sexually until she had brought forth her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

Matthew 2

1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men{The word for "wise men" (magoi) can also mean teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, or sorcerers.} from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2"Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him." 3When Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. 5They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet, 6'You Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are in no way least among the princes of Judah: For out of you shall come forth a governor, Who shall shepherd my people, Israel.'" 7Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him." 9They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12Being warned in a dream that they shouldn't return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way. 13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." 14He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, 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 I called my son." 16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. 17Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, 18"A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; She wouldn't be comforted, Because they are no more." 19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20"Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child's life are dead." 21He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, 23and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."