The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Bible · Matthew · chapter 1
Matthew 1
The family line and birth of Jesus
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The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and tells the story of Jesus from his genealogy and birth to his death and resurrection. Early church tradition attributes it to Matthew, the tax collector who became one of the twelve apostles; the text itself is anonymous, and many scholars think it was written in the later first century, drawing on Mark's Gospel and other sources. Matthew often shows Jesus fulfilling the Hebrew scriptures and presents his teaching in five large blocks, including the Sermon on the Mount. Key themes are the kingdom of heaven, righteousness, and Jesus as the Messiah and teacher.
This chapter in brief
Matthew opens with a genealogy tracing Jesus's family line from Abraham through King David to Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary is found to be with child through the Holy Spirit before she and Joseph live together, and an angel tells Joseph in a dream to take her as his wife and name the child Jesus. Matthew links the birth to Isaiah's words about Immanuel, 'God with us', and Christians believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.
Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram.
Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon.
Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse.
Jesse became the father of King David. David the king became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.
Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor.
Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud.
Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob.
Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;
and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
World English Bible (public domain), eBible.org. eBible.org. Chapter guide: IndiaDigital, awaiting review.
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