---
title: "Matthew 2 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/matthew/2/
description: "The offerings of the wise men: the flight into Egypt: the massacre of the… Matthew 2 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Matthew 2

Matthew 2 is chapter 2 of 28 in the Gospel of Matthew. Here are all 23 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The offerings of the wise men: the flight into Egypt: the massacre of the Innocents.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Matthew 2 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. And so, when Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judah, in the days of king Herod, behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
2. saying: “Where is he who was born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and we have come to adore him.”
3. Now king Herod, hearing this, was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4. And gathering together all the leaders of the priests, and the scribes of the people, he consulted with them as to where the Christ would be born.
5. And they said to him: “In Bethlehem of Judea. For so it has been written by the prophet:
6. ‘And you, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. For from you shall go forth the ruler who shall guide my people Israel.’”
7. Then Herod, quietly calling the Magi, diligently learned from them the time when the star appeared to them.
8. And sending them into Bethlehem, he said: “Go and diligently ask questions about the boy. And when you have found him, report back to me, so that I, too, may come and adore him.”
9. And when they had heard the king, they went away. And behold, the star that they had seen in the east went before them, even until, arriving, it stood still above the place where the child was.
10. Then, seeing the star, they were gladdened by a very great joy.
11. And entering the home, they found the boy with his mother Mary. And so, falling prostrate, they adored him. And opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12. And having received a response in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back by another way to their own region.
13. And after they had gone away, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: “Rise up, and take the boy and his mother, and flee into Egypt. And remain there until I tell you. For it will happen that Herod will seek the boy to destroy him.”
14. And getting up, he took the boy and his mother by night, and withdrew into Egypt.
15. And he remained there, until the death of Herod, in order to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Out of Egypt, I called my son.”
16. Then Herod, seeing that he had been fooled by the Magi, was very angry. And so he sent to kill all the boys who were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years of age and under, according to the time that he had learned by questioning the Magi.
17. Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, saying:
18. “A voice has been heard in Ramah, great weeping and wailing: Rachel crying for her sons. And she was not willing to be consoled, because they were no more.”
19. Then, when Herod had passed away, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt,
20. saying: “Rise up, and take the boy and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. For those who were seeking the life of the boy have passed away.”
21. And rising up, he took the boy and his mother, and he went into the land of Israel.
22. Then, hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in sleep, he withdrew into parts of Galilee.
23. And arriving, he lived in a city which is called Nazareth, in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “For he shall be called a Nazarene.”

## Matthew 2 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Cum ergo natus esset Jesus in Bethlehem Juda in diebus Herodis regis, ecce magi ab oriente venerunt Jerosolymam,
2. dicentes: Ubi est qui natus est rex Judæorum? vidimus enim stellam ejus in oriente, et venimus adorare eum.
3. Audiens autem Herodes rex, turbatus est, et omnis Jerosolyma cum illo.
4. Et congregans omnes principes sacerdotum, et scribas populi, sciscitabatur ab eis ubi Christus nasceretur.
5. At illi dixerunt: In Bethlehem Judæ: sic enim scriptum est per prophetam:
6. Et tu Bethlehem terra Juda, nequaquam minima es in principibus Juda: ex te enim exiet dux, qui regat populum meum Israël.
7. Tunc Herodes clam vocatis magis diligenter didicit ab eis tempus stellæ, quæ apparuit eis:
8. et mittens illos in Bethlehem, dixit: Ite, et interrogate diligenter de puero: et cum inveneritis, renuntiate mihi, ut et ego veniens adorem eum.
9. Qui cum audissent regem, abierunt, et ecce stella, quam viderant in oriente, antecedebat eos, usque dum veniens staret supra, ubi erat puer.
10. Videntes autem stellam gavisi sunt gaudio magno valde.
11. Et intrantes domum, invenerunt puerum cum Maria matre ejus, et procidentes adoraverunt eum: et apertis thesauris suis obtulerunt ei munera, aurum, thus, et myrrham.
12. Et responso accepto in somnis ne redirent ad Herodem, per aliam viam reversi sunt in regionem suam.
13. Qui cum recessissent, ecce angelus Domini apparuit in somnis Joseph, dicens: Surge, et accipe puerum, et matrem ejus, et fuge in Ægyptum, et esto ibi usque dum dicam tibi. Futurum est enim ut Herodes quærat puerum ad perdendum eum.
14. Qui consurgens accepit puerum et matrem ejus nocte, et secessit in Ægyptum:
15. et erat ibi usque ad obitum Herodis: ut adimpleretur quod dictum est a Domino per prophetam dicentem: Ex Ægypto vocavi filium meum.
16. Tunc Herodes videns quoniam illusus esset a magis, iratus est valde, et mittens occidit omnes pueros, qui erant in Bethlehem, et in omnibus finibus ejus, a bimatu et infra secundum tempus, quod exquisierat a magis.
17. Tunc adimpletum est quod dictum est per Jeremiam prophetam dicentem:
18. Vox in Rama audita est ploratus, et ululatus multus: Rachel plorans filios suos, et noluit consolari, quia non sunt.
19. Defuncto autem Herode, ecce angelus Domini apparuit in somnis Joseph in Ægypto,
20. dicens: Surge, et accipe puerum, et matrem ejus, et vade in terram Israël: defuncti sunt enim qui quærebant animam pueri.
21. Qui consurgens, accepit puerum, et matrem ejus, et venit in terram Israël.
22. Audiens autem quod Archelaus regnaret in Judæa pro Herode patre suo, timuit illo ire: et admonitus in somnis, secessit in partes Galilææ.
23. Et veniens habitavit in civitate quæ vocatur Nazareth: ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per prophetas: Quoniam Nazaræus vocabitur.

## Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paragraph numbers and the Catechism's own section headings (never quoted); text at vatican.va.
- CCC ¶ 486: "Conceived By the Power of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary" ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 528: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 439: Christ ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 528: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 430: Jesus ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 724: The Spirit of Christ in the Fullness of Time ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 333: Heaven and Earth ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 530: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))

## Read at Mass (US)

- Mon, Dec 28, 2026: Holy Innocents, Martyrs — Gospel, Matthew 2:13-18
- Sun, Jan 3, 2027: The Epiphany of the Lord — Alleluia, Matthew 2:2; Gospel, Matthew 2:1-12
- Tue, Dec 28, 2027 (computed): Holy Innocents, Martyrs — Gospel, Matthew 2:13-18
- Sun, Jan 2, 2028 (computed): The Epiphany of the Lord — Alleluia, Matthew 2:2; Gospel, Matthew 2:1-12

2 more dates through December 31, 2028, in the [liturgical calendar](https://blessbible.app/calendar/).

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).