God’s Word Translation
Matthew 1:20
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.
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
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. 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. Joseph 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. 21She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus [He Saves], because he will save his people from their sins.” 22All this happened so that what the Lord had spoken through the prophet came true:
Read all of Matthew 1Matthew 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 decent. That is why he teaches sinners the way they should live.
- Psalms 94:19When I worried about many things, your assuring words soothed my soul.
- Psalms 119:125I am your servant. Help me understand so that I may come to know your written instructions.
- Psalms 143:8Let me hear about your mercy in the morning, because I trust you. Let me know the way that I should go, because I long for you.
- Proverbs 3:5Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.
- Proverbs 12:5The thoughts of righteous people are fair. The advice of wicked people is treacherous.
- Isaiah 26:3With perfect peace you will protect those whose minds cannot be changed, because they trust you.
- Isaiah 30:21You will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way. Follow it, whether it turns to the right or to the left.”
- Judges 13:3The Messenger of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You’ve never been able to have a child, but now you will become pregnant and have a son.
- Luke 1:10All the people were praying outside while he was burning incense.
- Luke 2:8Shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem. They were taking turns watching their flock during the night.
- Matthew 2:13After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel said to him, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and kill him.”
- Genesis 31:11In the dream the Messenger of God called to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I answered, ‘Yes, here I am.’
- Numbers 12:6He said, “Listen to my words: When there are prophets of the Lord among you, I make myself known to them in visions or speak to them in dreams.
- Job 4:13With disturbing thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on people,
- Job 33:15In a dream, a prophetic vision at night, when people fall into a deep sleep, when they sleep on their beds,
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
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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