New Living Translation
Matthew 1:18
18This 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.
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, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah. 17All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah. 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. 19Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived 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 1:27to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
- Genesis 3:15And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
- Job 14:4Who can bring purity out of an impure person? No one!
- Job 15:14Can any mortal be pure? Can anyone born of a woman be just?
- Luke 1:25“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
- Galatians 4:4But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.
- Hebrews 7:26He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.
- Hebrews 10:5That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer.
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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