Verse 1: UJesu esezelwe eBetlehema laseJudiya emihleni kaHerode inkosi, bheka, kwafika izazi eJerusalema, zivela empumalanga, zithi:
Verse 2: “Uphi lowo ozelwe eyinkosi yabaJuda na? Ngokuba sibonile inkanyezi yakhe kwelasempumalanga, size ukukhuleka kuye.”
Verse 3: UHerode inkosi esekuzwile lokho wakhathazeka neJerusalema lonke kanye naye.
Verse 4: Wabutha bonke abapristi abakhulu nababhali besizwe, wabuza kubo ukuthi uKristu uzakuzalelwaphi.
Verse 5: Bathi kuye: “EBetlehema laseJudiya, ngokuba kulotshiwe kanjalo ngomprofethi ukuthi:
Verse 6: “ ‘Nawe Betlehema, lizwe lakwaJuda, kawusiye omncane nakanye kubabusi bakwaJuda, ngokuba kuyakuvela kuwe umbusi oyakwalusa isizwe sami u-Israyeli.’ ”
Verse 7: Khona uHerode, ezibizile izazi ngasese, wabuzisisa kuzo isikhathi inkanyezi ebonakele ngaso,
Verse 8: wazithuma eBetlehema, wathi: “Hambani nibuzisise ngomntwana; kuyakuthi nxa nimfumene, ningitshele ukuba nami ngiye ngikhuleke kuye.”
Verse 9: Seziyizwile inkosi, zamuka; bheka, inkanyezi ezayibona kwelasempumalanga yahamba phambi kwazo, yaze yafika yema phezu kwalapho umntwana ekhona.
Verse 10: Zathi ukuyibona inkanyezi, zathokoza ngokuthokoza okukhulu kakhulu.
Verse 11: Zase zingena endlini, zabona umntwana noMariya unina, zawa phansi, zakhuleka kuye, zavula amagugu azo, zamkhunga ngezipho: igolide namakha nenhlaka.
Verse 12: Kwathi ziyaliwe nguNkulunkulu ngephupho ukuba zingabuyeli kuHerode, zabuyela ezweni lakubo ngenye indlela.
Verse 13: Sezimukile, bheka, ingelosi yeNkosi yabonakala kuJosefa ngephupho, ithi: “Vuka uthabathe umntwana nonina, ubalekele eGibithe, uhlale khona, ngize ngikutshele; ngokuba uHerode uzakumfuna umntwana ukuba ambhubhise.”
Verse 14: Wavuka-ke, wathabatha umntwana nonina ebusuku, wamuka waya eGibithe,
Verse 15: wahlala khona, waze wafa uHerode, ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa yiNkosi ngomprofethi ukuthi: “Ngayibiza indodana yami iphume eGibithe.”
Verse 16: Khona uHerode, esebonile ukuthi izazi zimphambile, wathukuthela kakhulu, wathumela wabulala bonke abantwana besilisa baseBetlehema nasendaweni yonke yangakhona, abaminyaka mibili nangaphansi njengesikhathi abesibuzisisile kuzo izazi.
Verse 17: Khona kwagcwaliseka okwakhulunywa ngoJeremiya umprofethi ukuthi:
Verse 18: “Kwezwakala izwi eRama, ukukhala nokulila okukhulu, uRakheli ekhalela abantwana bakhe, engavumi ukududuzwa, ngokuba abasekho.”
Verse 19: Kepha uHerode esefile, bheka, ingelosi yeNkosi yabonakala ngephupho kuJosefa eGibithe, yathi:
Verse 20: “Vuka uthabathe umntwana nonina, uye ezweni lakwa-Israyeli; ngokuba sebefile ababezingela ukuphila komntwana.”
Verse 21: Wasuka-ke, wathabatha umntwana nonina, wafika ezweni lakwa-Israyeli.
Verse 22: Kepha ezwa ukuthi sekubusa u-Arkelawu eJudiya esikhundleni sikaHerode uyise, wesaba ukuya khona; eseyaliwe nguNkulunkulu ngephupho wamuka waya kwelaseGalile;
Verse 23: wafika wakha emzini othiwa iNazaretha ukuba kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngabaprofethi ukuthi: “Uyakubizwa ngokuthi umNazaretha.”