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THE GOSPELThe Complete Text of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Johnedited by Lightheartonline at www.PracticeGodsPresence.com/gospel/
The Gospel of Matthew
1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David,the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac; Isaac became the father of Jacob;Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers; Judah the father of Perezand Zerah, whose mother was Tamar; and Perez became the father ofHezron; Hezron became the father of Ram; Ram became the father ofAmminadab; and Amminadab the father of Nahshon; and Nahshon the fatherof Salmon; Salmon became the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab;and Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth; Obed thefather of Jesse; Jesse the father of David the king; David the kingbecame the father of Solomon whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam; and Rehoboam the father of Abia;and Abia the father of Asa; Asa became the father of Jehosaphat; andJehosaphat the father of Joram; and Joram the father of Ozias; AndOzias became the father of Joatham; and Joatham the father of Achaz;and Achaz the father of Hezekiah; And Hezekiah became the father ofManasseh; and Manasseh the father of Amos; and Amos the father ofJosiah; And Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the timethey were exiled to Babylon.
After they were in Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel;and Shealtiel the father of Zorobabel; And Zorobabel became the fatherof Abiud; and Abiud the father of Eliakim; and Eliakim the father ofAzor; And Azor became the father of Zadoc; Zadoc the father of Achim;and Achim the father of Eliud; And Eliud became the father of Eleazar;and Eleazar the father of Matthan; and Matthan the father of Jacob; AndJacob became the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was bornJesus, the Christ.
The generations from Abraham to David are fourteen, from David untilthe exile to Babylon are fourteen; and from the exile to Babylon untilthe birth of Christ are fourteen generations.
The birth of Jesus Christ was thus: When Mary, His mother, was espousedto Joseph, and before they came together, she was found with child ofthe Holy Spirit. Joseph, a just man, not willing to make her a publicexample, decided to put her away privately. But while he thought aboutthese things an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,Joseph, thou son of David, do not fear to take Mary as thy wife. Theone who is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She shall bringforth a son and thou shall call Him Jesus. He will save His people fromtheir sins.
All this was done so that what was spoken of the Lord by the prophetmight be fulfilled: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shallbring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.Then Joseph awoke and did as the angel of the Lord told him and tookunto him his wife. He knew her not until she brought forth herfirstborn son, Jesus.
2. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days ofKing Herod, wise men, magi, from the east went to Jerusalem. They said,One is born King of the Jews. We have seen His star in the east and weare going to worship Him. When Herod heard this, he was troubled as wasall Jerusalem. Herod gathered all the chief priests and scribestogether and demanded to know where Christ would be born. They said, InBethlehem of Judaea. It is written by the prophet: And thou Bethlehem,in