Matthew · Chapter 2

[ edit] Therfore when Jheſus was born in Beþlem of Juda, in þe days of kyng Herode, loo! kyngis, or wijs men, camen fro þe eeſt to Jeruſalem, ſayinge, Wher is he, þat is borun kyng of Jewis? forſoþe we han ſeyn his ſterre in þe eſte, and we comen for to wirſhipe hym. Soþely kyng Herode herynge is trublid, and al Jeruſalem wiþ him. And he, gedrynge to gidre alle þe princis of preſtis, and ſcribis of þe peple, enquiride of hem, wher Criſt ſhulde be borun. And þei ſeiden to hym, In Beþlem of Juda; for ſo it is writen bi a prophete, And þou, Beþlem, þe lond of Juda, þou art nat þe leſte in þe princis of Juda; for of þee a duk ſhal gon out, þat ſhal gouerne my peple of Yrael.

Þan Herode, priuyli þe kyngis clepid to hym, biſily lernyde of hem þe tyme of þe ſterre þat apperide to hem. And he, ſendynge hem in to Beþlem, ſaide, Go ȝee, and axe ȝee biſily of þe chyld, and whan ȝee han founden, telle aȝein to me, þat and Y cummynge wirſhipe hym. Þe whiche, when þei hadden herde þe kyng, wenten awey. And loo! þe ſterre, þe whiche þei ſayen in eſte, wente bifore hem, til þat it cummynge ſtood aboue, wher þe child was. Forſoþe þei, ſeeynge þe ſterre, ioyeden wiþ a ful grete ioye. And þei, entrynge þe hous, founden þe child wiþ Marie, his modir; and þei fallynge doun worſhipiden hym. And her treſours opnyd, þei offreden to hym ȝiftis, gold, encenſe, and merre.

And anſwer taken in ſleep, þat þei ſhulden not turne aȝein to Herode, þei ben turned by an oþer wey in to her cuntree. And when þei hadden gon awey, loo! þe aungel of þe Lord apperide in ſleep to Joſeph, ſayynge, Ryſe vp, and take þe child and his modir, and flee in to Egipt, and be þou þere, til þat I ſeye to þee; ſoþely it is to cume, þat Herode ſeeke þe child, for to leſe hym. Þe whiche Joſeph, ryſynge vp, toke þe chijld and his modir by nyȝte, and wente into Egipt, and was þere til to þe deþ of Erode; þat it ſhuld be fulfillid, þat þing þat was ſaid of þe Lord by þe prophete, ſayinge, Fro Egypt Y haue clepide my ſone.

Þanne Erode ſeeynge þat he was ſcorned, or diſceyued, of þe kyngis, was gretely wroþ; and he ſendynge ſlewȝ alle þe children, þat weren in Beþlem, and in alle þe eendis of it, fro two ȝeer age and wiþ ynne, after þe tyme þat he hadde ſouȝt out of þe kyngis. Þan it was fulfillide, þat þing þat was ſaid by Jeremye, þe prophete, ſayinge, A voice is herd an heeȝe, weepynge and myche weilynge, Rachel weepynge hir ſonys, and ſhe wolde not be comfortid, for þei ben not. Soþely Erode dead, loo! þe angel of þe Lord apeeride in ſleep to Joſeph in Egipt, ſayinge, Ryſe vp, and take þe childe and his modir, and go in to þe lond of Yrael; for þei þat ſouȝten þe lijf of þe chyld ben dead.

Þe whiche Joſeph, ryſynge vp, toke þe child and his modir, and cam in to þe lond of Yrael. Forſoþe he heerynge þat Archelaus regnede in Jude for Eroude, his fadir, dred for to go þidir. And he, moneſtid in ſleep, wente in to þe parties of Galilee; and he cummynge dwelte in a citee, þat is clepid Nazareþ, þat it ſhulde be fulfillid, þat þing þat is ſaid by prophetis, For whi he ſhal be clepid of Nazareþ.