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SECT. X.

Visit of the Magi-Flight into Egypt-Return to Galilee.

MATT. ii. 1-23.

66

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Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came Magi from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to do him homage." But when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them, "Where is the Christ born ?" And they said unto him, "In Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet,1 ‘And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art by no means least among the governors of Judah for out of thee shall come a governor, who shall tend my people Israel.' Then Herod, having privately called the Magi, carefully inquired of them the time when the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search carefully concerning the child; and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may come and do him homage." Now when they had heard the king, they departed; and, behold, the star which they had seen in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy; and going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and did him homage; and having opened their treasures, they presented gifts unto him, gold and frankincense and

1 Mic. v. 2.

myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

But when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee to return: for Herod is about to seek the child, to destroy him." And he arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod: so that it was fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord, through the prophet,1 saying, 'Out of Egypt I have called my son.'

Then Herod, seeing that he was deceived by the Magi, was exceeding wroth; and sent forth and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had carefully inquired of the Magi. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 'In Ramah was a voice heard, lamentation and weeping and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be comforted, because they are not.'

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel for they are dead who sought the child's life." And he arose, and took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But having heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the room of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither; but, being warned in a dream, he departed into the parts of Galilee: and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: so that it was fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, 'He shall be called a Nazarene.'

1 Hos. xi. 1. 2 Jer. xxxi. 15.

SECT. XI.

Jesus at the Passover when Twelve Years of Age.

LUKE ii. 41-52.

AND his parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they having gone up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast, and having fulfilled the appointed days, as they were returning, the child Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and his mother did not know it; but, supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey. And they kept seeking for him among their kindred and acquaintance; and when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the Rabbis, both hearing them, and asking them questions. Now all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when his parents saw him, they were amazed and his mother said unto him, "Child, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have been seeking thee greatly distressed." And he said unto them, "How is it that ye were seeking me? knew ye not that I must be in my Father's house?" And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour with God and men.

1 Or, in the caravan.

RECORDS OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY.

PART I.

THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST:
AND THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST, TO HIS FIRST MIRACLE.

SECT. I.1

General View of the Dispensation by Jesus Christ; His Power and Dignity.

JOHN i. 1-18.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him ; 2 and without him 2 was not any thing made that was made. In him 2 was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of

But as many as

1 The rendering in this Section is according to the common version. 2 [Or, it.]

God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.— John bare witness of him, and cried saying, "This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me."-And1 of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

SECT. II.

General View of the Ministry of the Baptist.

MATT. iii. 1-12. MARK i. 1-8. LUKE iii. 1-18.

THE beginning of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.

Now in the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip being tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias being tetrarch of Abilene, under the high priest Annas, and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the Baptist, the son of Zachariah, in the desert of Judea. And he came into all the region about the Jordan, baptizing, and proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins: 3 and saying, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven draweth near." As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,5

1 Or, for: v. H. n. for remission of sins." 5 Is. xl. 3-5.

2 v. H. n. 3 Or, proclaiming "Baptism of repentance 4 Mk. L. For this is he that was spoken of, M.

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