God’s Word Translation
Matthew 1:18
18The birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way: His mother Mary had been promised to Joseph in marriage. But before they were married, Mary realized that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
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, who was the husband of Mary. Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is called Christ. 17So there were 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 generations from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations from the exile until the Messiah. The birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way: His mother Mary had been promised to Joseph in marriage. But before they were married, Mary realized that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19Her husband Joseph was an honorable man and did not want to disgrace her publicly. So he decided to break the marriage agreement with her secretly. 20Joseph had this in mind when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said to him, “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She is pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Read all of Matthew 1Matthew 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 1:27The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary.
- Genesis 3:15I will make you and the woman hostile toward each other. I will make your descendants and her descendant hostile toward each other. He will crush your head, and you will bruise his heel.”
- Job 14:4“If only an unclean person could become clean! It’s not possible.
- Job 15:14Why should a mortal be considered faultless or someone born of a woman be considered righteous?
- Luke 1:25“The Lord has done this for me now. He has removed my public disgrace.”
- Galatians 4:4But when the right time came, God sent his Son ⌞into the world⌟. A woman gave birth to him, and he came under the control of the laws given to Moses.
- Hebrews 7:26We need a chief priest who is holy, innocent, pure, set apart from sinners, and who holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne.
- Hebrews 10:5For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said, “ ‘You did not want sacrifices and offerings, but you prepared a body for me.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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