Matthew 1:20

Matthew 1:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
• New International Version (NIV)But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

Context of Matthew 1:20

18This 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. He 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. 21Mary's baby will be a boy. He will save his people from their sins. Because of that, you must give him the name “Jesus”.’ 22The Lord God had given a message about this to one of his prophets long ago. Now that message would become true.

Matthew 1:20 word by word

Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐνθυμηθέντος ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου κατ᾽ ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων· Ἰωσὴφ υἱὸς Δαυίδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαρίαν τὴν γυναῖκά σου· τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• whileἐνθυμέομαιenthumeomai · to reflect onG1760
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• the angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• appearedφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
• inκατάkata · according toG2596
• a dreamὄναρonar · dreamG3677
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• JosephἸωσήφIōsēph · JosephG2501
• thou sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of DavidΔαυείδ, Δαυίδ, ΔαβίδDabid · DavidG1138
• fearφοβέωphobeō · to fearG5399
• notμήmē · notG3361
• to take unto theeπαραλαμβάνωparalambanō · to takeG3880
• MaryΜαρίαMaria Mariam · MaryG3137
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• wifeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• for thatγάρgar · forG1063
• is conceivedγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40

Cross-references for Matthew 1:20

• Psalms 25:8The Lord is good and he does what is right. Because of that, he teaches sinners the right way to live.
• Psalms 94:19When I have troubles in my mind, so that I am afraid, you help me to be happy again.
• Psalms 119:125I am your servant. Help me to be wise, so that I can understand your rules.
• Psalms 143:8Every morning, help me to remember your faithful love, because I am trusting in you. Show me how I should live to please you, because I know that I belong to you.
• Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord completely. Do not think that you understand things well enough for yourself.
• Proverbs 12:5Righteous people want to do things that are right. But do not trust the advice of wicked people.
• Isaiah 26:3Lord, you keep those people safe who continue to trust in you. You give them peace in their minds, because they believe in you.
• Isaiah 30:21You will hear his voice behind you. When you turn off the path, to the right or to the left, it will say, ‘This is the right way. Walk in it.’
• Judges 13:3The Lord's angel appeared to her. He said, ‘You have not been able to give birth to any children until now. But you will become pregnant and you will give birth to a son.
• Luke 1:10While Zechariah was burning incense in the special room, many men were outside in the yard. They were praying to God.
• Luke 2:8That night some shepherds were living out in the fields near Bethlehem. They were keeping their sheep safe.
• Matthew 2:13After the men had gone away, Joseph had a dream. In the dream, he saw one of the Lord God's angels. The angel said to him, ‘Herod will look for the child, so that his soldiers can kill him. You must get up and take the child and his mother with you. Go immediately to Egypt. I will tell you when you can return again. You must remain there until then.’
• Genesis 31:11The angel of God spoke to me in the dream. He said, “Jacob.” I replied, “Yes, here I am.”
• Numbers 12:6Then he said, ‘Listen to my words! If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will show myself to him in a vision. Or I will speak to him in a dream.
• Job 4:13I was asleep, but my dreams woke me.
• Job 33:15Sometimes God speaks to people in dreams and visions. He speaks to them at night, while they sleep in bed.

Commentaries on Matthew 1:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20That which is conceived (or formed) in her - So I think should be translated in this place: as it appears that the human nature of Jesus Christ was a real creation in the womb of the virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The angel of the Lord mentioned here was probably the angel Gabriel, who, six months before, bad been sent to Zacharias and Elisabeth, to announce the birth of Christ's forerunner, John the Baptist. See Luke 1:36.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20He thought on these things - He did not act hastily. He did not take the course which the law would have permitted him to do, if he had been hasty, violent, or unjust. It was a case deeply affecting his happiness, his character, and the reputation and character of his chosen companion. God will guide the thoughtful and the anxious. And when we have looked patiently at a perplexed subject, and know not what to do, then God, as in the case of Joseph, will…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. 20The angel of the Lord told Joseph in a dream (see Matthew 2:12–13, 19, 22) that no one had seduced or harmed Mary. Instead, the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:34–35). The Holy Spirit often plays a creative and life-giving role (Genesis 1:2; Ezekiel 37:1–14; John 3:5–8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. But while he thought on these things--Who would not feel for him after receiving such intelligence, and before receiving any light from above? As he brooded over the matter alone, in the stillness of the night, his domestic prospects darkened and his happiness blasted for life, his mind slowly making itself up to the painful step, yet planning how to do it in the way least offensive--at the last extremity the Lord Himself interposes. behold, the angel…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 1:20

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Conception
• Dream
• Faith
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Joseph
• Miracles
• Trinity

In the dictionaries

• David
• Holy Ghost
• Angel of the Lord
• Angel
• Betroth
• Divination
• Dream
• Husband
• 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