God’s Word Translation
Matthew 2:8
8As he sent them to Bethlehem, he said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you have found him, report to me so that I may go and worship him too.”
Matthew 2:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
- New International Version (NIV)He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
Context of Matthew 2:8
6Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. A leader will come from you. He will shepherd my people Israel.” 7Then Herod secretly called the wise men and found out from them exactly when the star had appeared. As he sent them to Bethlehem, he said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you have found him, report to me so that I may go and worship him too.” 9After they had heard the king, they started out. The star they had seen rising led them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10They were overwhelmed with joy to see the star.
Read all of Matthew 2Matthew 2:8 word by word
καὶ πέμψας αὐτοὺς εἰς Βηθλέεμ εἶπεν· πορευθέντες ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου. ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε, ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he sentπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- BethlehemΒηθλεέμBēthleem · BethlehemG965
- and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Goπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
- and searchἐξετάζωexetazō · to find outG1833
- diligentlyἀκριβῶςakribōs · exactlyG199
- forπερίperi · aboutG4012
- the young childὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the young childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
- andδέde · thenG1161
- whenἐπάνepan · when/as soon asG1875
- ye have foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
- bringἀπαγγέλλωapaggellō · to announceG518
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- thatὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
- Iκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
- may comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- and worshipπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
Cross-references for Matthew 2:8
- 1 Samuel 23:22Please make more plans, and watch where he goes. Who has seen him there? I’m told he’s very clever.
- 2 Samuel 17:14Absalom and all the people of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai from Archi’s family is better than Ahithophel’s advice.” (The Lord had commanded Ahithophel’s good advice to be defeated in order to ruin Absalom.)
- 1 Kings 19:2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah. She said, “May the gods strike me dead if by this time tomorrow I don’t take your life the way you took the lives of Baal’s prophets.”
- Job 5:12He keeps shrewd people from carrying out their plans so that they cannot do anything successfully.
- Psalms 33:10The Lord blocks the plans of the nations. He frustrates the schemes of the people of the world.
- Proverbs 21:30No wisdom, no understanding, and no advice ⌞can stand up⌟ against the Lord.
- Lamentations 3:37Who was it who spoke and it came into being? It was the Lord who gave the order.
- 1 Corinthians 3:19The wisdom of this world is nonsense in God’s sight. That’s why Scripture says, “God catches the wise in their cleverness.”
- Matthew 26:48Now, the traitor had given them a signal. He said, “The one I kiss is the man you want. Arrest him!”
- 2 Samuel 15:7Four years later Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and keep the vow I made to the Lord.
- 2 Kings 10:18Then Jehu brought all the people together. He said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot.
- Ezra 4:1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people who returned from exile were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel,
- Psalms 12:2All people speak foolishly. They speak with flattering lips. They say one thing but mean another.
- Psalms 55:11Destruction is everywhere. Oppression and fraud never leave the streets.
- Proverbs 26:24Whoever is filled with hate disguises it with his speech, but inside he holds on to deceit.
- Jeremiah 41:580 men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. Their beards were shaved off, their clothes were torn, and cuts were on their bodies. They brought grain offerings and incense to the Lord’s temple.
Commentaries on Matthew 2:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8That I may come and worship him also - See Matthew 2:2, and on Genesis 17:3; (note), and Exodus 4:31; (note). What exquisite hypocrisy was here! he only wished to find out the child that he might murder him; but see how that God who searches the heart prevents the designs of wicked men from being accomplished!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Go, and search diligently - Herod took all possible means to obtain accurate information respecting the child, that he might be sure of destroying him. He not only ascertained the probable time of his birth, and the place where he would be born, but he sent the wise men that they might actually see him, and bring him word. All this might have looked suspicious if he had not clothed it with the appearance of religion. He said to them, therefore, that he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-10God placed the star to guide the wise men to the Messiah (see Numbers 24:17). The details are unclear.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently--"Search out carefully." for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also--The cunning and bloody hypocrite! Yet this royal mandate would meantime serve as a safe conduct to the strangers.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 2:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 2
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries