New English Translation
Matthew 1:20
20When he had contemplated 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 as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from 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
18Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately. When he had contemplated 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 as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled:
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 both kind and fair; that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live.
- Psalms 94:19When worries threaten to overwhelm me, your soothing touch makes me happy.
- Psalms 119:125I am your servant. Give me insight, so that I can understand your rules.
- Psalms 143:8May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, for I trust in you. Show me the way I should go, because I long for you.
- Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.
- Proverbs 12:5The plans of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
- Isaiah 26:3You keep completely safe the people who maintain their faith, for they trust in you.
- Isaiah 30:21You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,” whether you are heading to the right or the left.
- Judges 13:3The Lord’s angelic messenger appeared to the woman and said to her, “You are infertile and childless, but you will conceive and have a son.
- Luke 1:10Now the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.
- Luke 2:8Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night.
- Matthew 2:13After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.”
- Genesis 31:11In the dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Here I am!’ I replied.
- Numbers 12:6The Lord said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream.
- Job 4:13In the troubling thoughts of the dreams in the night when a deep sleep falls on men,
- Job 33:15In a dream, a night vision, when deep sleep falls on people as they sleep in 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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