New King James Version
Matthew 1:18
18Now 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Context of Matthew 1:18
16And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. 17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. 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. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20But 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.
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 1:27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
- Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
- Job 14:4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!
- Job 15:14“What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
- Luke 1:25“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
- Galatians 4:4But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
- Hebrews 7:26For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;
- Hebrews 10:5Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries