When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, the Magi came to Jerusalem from the east and said, "Where is the King of the Jews who has been born?" for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him. And when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And having gathered together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them, Where is Christ to be born? And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet, And thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, are in no way less than the governors of Judah: for from thee shall come forth a Leader, who shall shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod, secretly summoning the Magi, found out from them the time of the appearance of the star, and sending them to Bethlehem, said, "Go, search carefully about the Child, and when you find it, inform me, so that I also may go and worship Him." And when they had heard the king, they went. And behold, the star which they had seen in the east was going before them, when at last it came and stood over the place where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy, and when they entered into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His Mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. and having opened their treasures, they brought him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having received a revelation in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed by another way to their own country.

Matthew 2:1–12

On the eve of the Nativity of Christ, at the 6th hour.

The Nativity of Christ, at the Liturgy.

The Gospel of Matthew, conceived 4

When the Magi had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I tell you, for Herod wants to seek the child to destroy him." And he arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and went into Egypt, and there he was until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which the Lord had spoken through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt I have called my Son. Then Herod, seeing himself ridiculed by the Magi, was very angry, and sent to slay all the infants in Bethlehem and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had learned from the Magi. Then was fulfilled what was said through the prophet Jeremiah, who said: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and weeping, and a great cry; Rachel weeps for her children and does not want to be comforted, for they are gone. And after the death of Herod, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in Egypt in a dream and said, "Arise, take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the soul of the child are dead." He arose, took the Child and His Mother, and came to the land of Israel. And when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in the place of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither; but having received a revelation in a dream, he went to the borders of Galilee, and when he came, he dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled that it was said through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene.

Matthew 2:13–23

On the eve of the Nativity of Christ at the 9th hour.

December 26, to the Most Holy Theotokos.

December 29, to the Holy Infants.

Sunday after the Nativity of Christ.

The Gospel of Matthew, conceived 5

In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the wilderness of Judea, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For he is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah said: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." John himself had a robe of camel's hair and a leather belt on his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. And when John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him to be baptized, he said to them, "Offspring of vipers! Who inspired you to flee from the wrath to come? Make therefore the worthy fruit of repentance, and do not think to say in yourselves, 'Our father is Abraham,' for I say to you, God is able to raise up children for Abraham out of these stones. Already the axe lies at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you in water for repentance, but He who comes after me is stronger than I; I am not worthy to bear His shoes; He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.

Matthew 3:1–11