Matthew 1:18

Matthew 1:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
• New International Version (NIV)This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Context of Matthew 1:18

16Jacob was the father of Joseph. Joseph married Mary. Mary was the mother of Jesus. Jesus is the one who is called Christ, the Messiah. 17So then, there were 14 generations from Abraham to David. There were another 14 generations from David to the time they took the Israelite people away to Babylon. Then there were 14 generations from that time until Jesus, the Messiah, was born. This is how Jesus Christ was born. His mother's name was Mary. She had promised to marry a man called Joseph. Then she discovered that she was pregnant. This happened before they started to live together. It was the Holy Spirit that caused this to happen to her. 19Joseph was a good man. He wanted to do what was right. He did not want her to become ashamed in front of people. So he decided to stop their marriage secretly. 20He thought about what he should do. Then an angel came from the Lord God to see him. The angel came to Joseph while he was dreaming. The angel said, ‘Joseph, you who are from the family of King David, take Mary home as your wife. Do not be afraid to do that. The baby that is growing inside her is from the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:18 word by word

Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ γένεσις οὕτως ἦν· μνηστευθείσης τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας τῷ Ἰωσήφ, πρὶν ἢ συνελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• the birthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the birthγέννησιςgennēsis · birthG1083
• of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• on this wiseοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• When asγάρgar · forG1063
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• motherμήτηρmētēr · motherG3384
• MaryΜαρίαMaria Mariam · MaryG3137
• was espousedμνηστεύωmnēsteuō · to betrothG3423
• to JosephἸωσήφIōsēph · JosephG2501
• beforeπρίνprin · beforeG4250
• ·ἤē · orG2228
• came togetherσυνέρχομαιsunerchomai · to assembleG4905
• she was foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• with childἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• with childγαστήρgastēr · bellyG1064
• with childἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40

Cross-references for Matthew 1:18

• Luke 1:27Gabriel went there to visit a young woman. Her name was Mary. She had never had sex with anyone. She had promised to marry a man called Joseph. He belonged to the family of King David.
• Genesis 3:15I will cause you and the woman to become enemies. Your descendants and her descendants will always be enemies. One of her descendants will attack your head. You will attack his heel.’
• Job 14:4People are not clean and pure. Nobody can change them to become pure.
• Job 15:14No one who is human can be truly pure and righteous.
• Luke 1:25‘The Lord has now given me a baby,’ she said. ‘He has been kind to me. Because of this, other people cannot say bad things about me now.’
• Galatians 4:4But when the time that God had decided arrived, he sent his Son into the world. A human mother gave birth to him. He was born a Jew, under the authority of God's Law.
• Hebrews 7:26Jesus is the kind of special priest that we need. He completely belongs to God. He has never done anything wrong. He is completely good and clean. He is separate from everyone who does wrong things. God has raised him up to the most important place in heaven.
• Hebrews 10:5So, when Christ came into the world, he said to his Father, ‘You have not wanted people to offer sacrifices and other gifts to you. Instead, you have prepared a body for me to offer to you.

Commentaries on Matthew 1:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Espoused to Joseph - The word , from , to contract, or betroth, refers to the previous marriage agreement, in which the parties mutually bound themselves to each other; without which, no woman was ever married among the Jews. Among the Hindoos, a woman is espoused often a whole year, and even longer before the marriage takes place. Before they came together - The woman was espoused at her own, or her father's house; and, generally, some time elapsed…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Now the birth of Jesus Christ - The circumstances attending his birth. Was on this wise - In this manner. Espoused - Betrothed, or engaged to be married. There was commonly an interval of ten or twevle months, among the Jews, between the contract of marriage and the celebration of the nuptials (see Genesis 24:55; Judges 14:8; Deuteronomy 20:7), yet such was the nature of this engagement, that unfaithfulness to each other was deemed adultery. See…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 Let us look to the circumstances under which the Son of God entered into this lower world, till we learn to despise the vain honours of this world, when compared with piety and holiness. The mystery of Christ's becoming man is to be adored, not curiously inquired into. It was so ordered that Christ should partake of our nature, yet that he should be pure from the defilement of original sin, which has been communicated to all the race of Adam…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Jesus Christ (literally Jesus the Christ): Christ is not a personal name. Christ is a title that means "Messiah" or "God's chosen one." pledged in marriage: In Judaism, engagement (or betrothal) was a permanent relationship (Malachi 2:14). It could only end through legal action. So, by law, Mary was Joseph’s wife and he was her husband (see Matthew 1:20; Deuteronomy 22:23–24). This was true even though they had not had sexual relations. Since Mary was a…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2518. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise--or, "thus." When as his mother Mary was espoused--rather, "betrothed." to Joseph, before they came together, she was found--discovered to be. with child of the Holy Ghost--It was, of course, the fact only that was discovered; the explanation of the fact here given is the Evangelist's own. That the Holy Ghost is a living conscious Person is plainly implied here, and is elsewhere clearly taught (Ac 5:3, 4…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 1:18

• Betrothal
• Conception
• Faith
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus, the Christ
• Joseph
• Marriage
• Miracles
• Trinity

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Holy Ghost
• Jesus Christ
• Betroth
• Espouse
• Interpret
• Mary

Commentaries on Matthew 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings