New Living Translation
Matthew 1:20
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.
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
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. 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. As 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. 21And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
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 does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
- Psalms 94:19When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
- Psalms 119:125Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws.
- Psalms 143:8Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
- Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
- Proverbs 12:5The plans of the godly are just; the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
- Isaiah 26:3You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
- Isaiah 30:21Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.
- Judges 13:3The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son.
- Luke 1:10While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
- Luke 2:8That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
- Matthew 2:13After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
- Genesis 31:11Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Yes, here I am.’
- Numbers 12:6And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say: “If there were prophets among you, I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams.
- Job 4:13It came to me in a disturbing vision at night, when people are in a deep sleep.
- Job 33:15He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie 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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