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Gospel Reading - The wisdom of the east

¹Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, in Judea, during the reign of King Herod.

At about that time some astrologers from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ²“Where is the newborn King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in far-off eastern lands and have come to worship him.”

³King Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, and all Jerusalem was filled with rumors.^{a 4}He called a meeting of the Jewish religious leaders.

“Did the prophets tell us where the Messiah would be born?” he asked.

⁵“Yes, in Bethlehem,” they said, “for this is what the prophet Micah^b wrote:

⁶‘O little town of Bethlehem, you are not just an unimportant Judean village, for a Governor shall rise from you to rule my people Israel.’”

⁷Then Herod sent a private message to the astrologers, asking them to come to see him; at this meeting he found out from them the exact time when they first saw the star. Then he told them, ⁸“Go to Bethlehem and search 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 astrologers started out again. And look! The star appeared to them again, standing over Bethlehem.^{c 10}Their joy knew no bounds!

¹¹Entering the house where the baby and Mary, his mother, were, they threw themselves down before him, worshiping. Then they opened their presents and gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

1. Literally, “and all Jerusalem with him.”
2. Implied, see Micah 5:2
3. Literally, “went before them until it came and stood over where the baby lay.”