New Living Translation
Matthew 2:8
8Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can 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
6‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” 7Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” 9After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!
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 23:22Go and check again to be sure of where he is staying and who has seen him there, for I know that he is very crafty.
- 2 Samuel 17:14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!
- 1 Kings 19:2So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”
- Job 5:12He frustrates the plans of schemers so the work of their hands will not succeed.
- Psalms 33:10The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.
- Proverbs 21:30No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord.
- Lamentations 3:37Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission?
- 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.”
- Matthew 26:48The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.”
- 2 Samuel 15:7After four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and fulfill a vow I made to him.
- 2 Kings 10:18Then Jehu called a meeting of all the people of the city and said to them, “Ahab’s worship of Baal was nothing compared to the way I will worship him!
- Ezra 4:1The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel.
- Psalms 12:2Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts.
- Psalms 55:11Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets.
- Proverbs 26:24People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you.
- Jeremiah 41:5eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria to worship at the Temple of the Lord. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves, and had brought along grain offerings and frankincense.
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
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