Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the time of King Herod, magi from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and convening all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it has been written by the prophet:

“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the princes of Judah;
for from you shall come a leader
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the time when the star had appeared, and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star that they had seen in the east went before them, until it stopped over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. And upon entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way.

And when they had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Rise and take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt and remain there until tell you, for Herod will seek the child to kill him. And he rose and took the child and his mother and left for Egypt that night. They remained there until Herod’s death in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

Then Herod, seeing that he had been deceived by the magi, became enraged and sent and killed all the male children under two years of age who were in Bethlehem or nearby regions, according to the time he had discovered from the magi. Thus what was spoken by the prophet Jeremish was fulfilled: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning; Rachel wailing for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they were no more.