Matthew 1:19
17 In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly.
- KJV
- Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
- WEB
- Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
- ASV
- And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
- DARBY
- But Joseph, her husband, being [a] righteous [man], and unwilling to expose her publicly, purposed to have put her away secretly;
- BLB
- And Joseph her husband, being righteous and not willing to make an example of her, resolved to send her away secretly.
- ÅB
- Mannen hennes, Josef, var rettferdig og ville ikke føre skam over henne. Han ville skille seg fra henne i stillhet.
- OTB
- Josef, hennes mann, som var en rettferdig mann og ikke ønsket å vanære henne, besluttet å skille seg fra henne i stillhet.
- B1930
- Men Josef, hennes mann, som var rettferdig og ikke vilde føre skam over henne, vilde skille sig fra henne i stillhet.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Deuteronomy 22:21–24
she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house, and there the men of her city will stone her to death. For she has committed an outrage in Israel by being promiscuous in her father’s house. So you must purge the evil from among you.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 24:1–4
If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.
Read in contextJohn 8:4–5
and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
Read in contextMark 6:20
because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he was greatly perplexed; yet he listened to him gladly.
Read in contextGenesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
Read in contextLeviticus 20:10
If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.
Read in contextPsalms 112:4–5
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright— for the gracious, compassionate, and righteous.
Read in contextLuke 2:25
Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Read in context