Matthew 1: The family line and birth of Jesus
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study
What happens?
Matthew opens with the family line of Jesus Christ from Abraham to Joseph, in three sets of fourteen generations. Mary is found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit before she and Joseph come together. Joseph plans to put her away secretly, but an angel of the Lord speaks to him in a dream, and Joseph takes Mary as his wife.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. The angel of the Lord speaks to Joseph in verses 20 and 21. In verse 23 the narrator gives words spoken through the prophet (verse 22). No verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
In plain English: This is the book of the family line (or: the birth, or: the origin) of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
The Greek word: "Genealogy" is genesis. The dictionary gives "nativity" (birth) and, figuratively, "nature". The word can mean birth or origin. It is in 3 verses of the New Testament: here, and .
How it is translated: This Bible has "genealogy" here.
What changes: Read as "the book of the birth of Jesus Christ", the opening words would name the story of his birth that begins at . Read as "the book of the family line", they name the list of names in verses 2 to 17.
The Greek word: "Christ" is Christos. The dictionary gives "anointed, i.e. the Messiah". It is in 17 verses of Matthew, and in all 17 this Bible prints "Christ".
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
2Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
In plain English: Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
3Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram.
In plain English: Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, and their mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram.
Good to know: The text names Tamar here. Her story, and the birth of Perez and Zerah, is in and the verse after it.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
4Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon.
In plain English: Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
5Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse.
In plain English: Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz's mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, and Obed's mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse.
Good to know: The text names Rahab and Ruth. A woman named Rahab is in , and the birth of Obed to Ruth and Boaz is in and . Matthew says no more about them here.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
6Jesse became the father of King David. David the king became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife.
In plain English: Jesse became the father of David the king. David the king became the father of Solomon, by the woman who had been Uriah's wife.
Good to know: "The woman who had been Uriah's wife" is not named here. calls Bathsheba "Uriah the Hittite's wife", and says she bore Solomon.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
7Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.
In plain English: Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
8Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah.
In plain English: Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah.
Good to know: This verse goes from Joram to Uzziah. and name Ahaziah, Joash, Amaziah and Azariah after Joram and before Jotham. Matthew's list has only Uzziah in that stretch, and the text does not say why.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
9Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.
In plain English: Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
10Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah.
In plain English: Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
11Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
In plain English: Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the carrying away (the exile) to Babylon.
Good to know: lists the sons of Josiah as Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah and Shallum, and says Jeconiah is the son of Jehoiakim. This verse says Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, and does not name Jehoiakim.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
12After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.
In plain English: After the carrying away to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
13Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor.
In plain English: Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
14Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud.
In plain English: Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
15Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob.
In plain English: Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
16Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
In plain English: Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. From Mary was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
Good to know: Every line before this one says "became the father of". This line says Jacob became the father of Joseph, "the husband of Mary", and that from Mary Jesus was born. says of Joseph that he was "the son of Heli", while Matthew says Jacob. The text does not explain the difference.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.
In plain English: So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations. From David to the carrying away to Babylon are fourteen generations. From the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ are fourteen generations.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
In plain English: The birth (or: origin) of Jesus Christ happened this way. His mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph. Before they came together, she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
The Greek word: "Birth" is gennesis in the Byzantine Greek text, the one this Bible follows. The Tischendorf Greek text in the same database has genesis here, the word in . The dictionary gives "nativity" for both. Gennesis is in 2 verses of the New Testament: here and .
How it is translated: This Bible has "birth" here and "genealogy" in verse 1.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
19Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
In plain English: Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man and did not want to make her a public example. He decided to put her away (or: divorce her) secretly.
The Greek word: "Put away" is apolyo. The dictionary gives "to free fully, i.e. relieve, release, dismiss" and, for a special use, "divorce". It is in 18 verses of Matthew. The English of those verses has the word "divorce" in 5 of them and a form of "put" in 3 (this verse, and ), and words such as "send away" or "release" in others.
How it is translated: This Bible has "put her away".
What changes: Read as "divorce", Joseph plans a quiet divorce. Read as "send away", he plans to send her away quietly. Either way the verse says he meant to do it secretly, and that he did not want to make her a public example.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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 as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
In plain English: While he was thinking about these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to yourself as your wife, because what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
The Greek word: "Conceived" is gennethen, from gennao. The dictionary gives "to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother)". The same Greek word is "became the father of" in verses 2 to 16 and "was born" in verse 16. It is in 20 verses of Matthew. This Bible says "became the father" in 15 of them, "born" in 5, and "conceived" only here.
What changes: Read as "born", the angel says what is being born in her is of the Holy Spirit. Read as "conceived", he says what has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
21She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
In plain English: She will give birth to a son. You will name him Jesus, because he is the one who will save his people from their sins."
Good to know: The name Jesus is the Greek form of a Hebrew name. The dictionary gives it as "Jehoshua", which is Joshua. The verse gives its own reason for the name: "he is the one who will save his people from their sins".
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
22Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
In plain English: All this happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled. The prophet said,
The Greek word: "Fulfilled" is pleroo. The dictionary starts with "to make replete" and goes on to "finish (a period or task)" and "verify (or coincide with a prediction)". It is in 16 verses of Matthew, and this Bible says "fulfill" in 14 of them. In the other two it is a net that is "filled" () and the words "Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers" ().
How it is translated: This Bible has "fulfilled" here and in the same kind of sentence at and .
What changes: Read as "verify a prediction", what happens matches what the prophet's words said. Read as "fill up" or "complete", what happens fills out the words. The verse says only that the words were "spoken by the Lord through the prophet".
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
In plain English: "Look, the virgin will be pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will call his name Immanuel," which means, when it is translated, "God with us."
The Greek word: "Virgin" is parthenos. The dictionary gives "a maiden; by implication, an unmarried daughter". It is in 13 verses of the New Testament, and this Bible prints "virgin" in all 13. In Matthew it is here and in , and .
How it is translated: This Bible has "virgin".
What changes: Read as "maiden", the line says a young unmarried woman will be pregnant and give birth to a son. Read as "virgin", it also says she has not had sex. Matthew's own account in verses 18 to 25 says Mary was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit before she and Joseph came together.
Good to know: The words are close to : "Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." The Hebrew word there is almah, which the dictionary gives as "a lass (as veiled or private)". It is in 7 verses of the Old Testament. This Bible prints "virgin" in 1 of them, "maiden" in 2 and "young woman" in 1. Brenton's English of the Greek Old Testament has "a virgin" at Isaiah 7:14.
Church tradition: Churches read Isaiah 7:14, and Matthew's use of it, in different ways. Matthew's says the words were spoken by the Lord through the prophet. Isaiah goes on in : "before the child knows to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you abhor shall be forsaken."
Good to know: The verse gives the meaning of the name itself: "God with us". The same name is in and . In this chapter the child is named Jesus ( and ), and this verse says they will call his name Immanuel.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
24Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;
In plain English: Joseph woke up from his sleep, did what the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
25and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
In plain English: He did not know her (or: have sex with her) until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
The Greek words: "Until" is heos hou, word for word "until which". Heos is in 42 verses of Matthew, and this Bible says "until" in 27 of them.
How it is translated: This Bible has "until".
What changes: If "until" only marks the time up to the birth, the verse says nothing about what came after. If it points to a change after the birth, the verse suggests that Joseph and Mary later came together.
Church tradition: Churches read this verse differently. Some read "until" as speaking only of the time before the birth, and "his brothers" in and as other relatives of Jesus. Others read these verses as saying Mary and Joseph later had other children. The verse itself says only that he did not know her until she had given birth.
Good to know: "Firstborn" is prototokos, which the dictionary gives as "first-born". Matthew uses it only here. also calls Jesus her firstborn son.
Show the GreekHide the Greek
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Greek word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.