1 [The] scroll of the birth of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begot Isaac, and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah begot Perez and Zerah of Tamar, and Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram, 4 and Ram begot Amminadab, and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon, 5 and Salmon begot Boaz of Rahab, and Boaz begot Obed of Ruth, and Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon, of her [who had been] Uriah’s, 7 and Solomon begot Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa, 8 and Asa begot Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah begot Jotham, and Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah begot Manasseh, and Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah, 11 and Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers, at the Babylonian removal. 12 And after the Babylonian removal, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel begot Abiud, and Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor, 14 and Azor begot Sadok, and Sadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud, 15 and Eliud begot Eleazar, and Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob, 16 and Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was begotten Jesus, who is named Christ. 17 All the generations, therefore, from Abraham to David [are] fourteen generations, and from David to the Babylonian removal fourteen generations, and from the Babylonian removal to the Christ, fourteen generations. 18 And of Jesus Christ, the birth was thus: for His mother Mary having been betrothed to Joseph, before their coming together she was found to have conceived from the Holy Spirit, 19 and her husband Joseph being righteous, and not willing to make her an example, resolved to send her away privately. 20 And on his thinking of these things, behold, a messenger of the LORD appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, you may not fear to receive your wife Mary, for that which was begotten in her is of [the] Holy Spirit, 21 and she will bring forth a Son, and you will call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 And all this has come to pass, that it may be fulfilled that was spoken by the LORD through the prophet, saying, 23◆ “Behold, the virgin will conceive, and she will bring forth a Son, and they will call His Name Emmanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” 24 And Joseph, having risen from sleep, did as the messenger of the LORD directed him, and received his wife, 25 and did not know her until she brought forth her Son—the firstborn, and he called His Name Jesus.
Matthew · Literal Standard Version
Matthew 1 Literal Standard Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Abijah
Rehoboam's son who reigned briefly, warring against the northern kingdom.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 15:1-8; 2 Chron. 13; Matt. 1:7
Abiud
A son of Zerubbabel known almost entirely from Matthew's genealogy.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:13
Achim
An ancestor of Jesus whose name alone survives in the Gospel record.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:14
Ahaz
A faithless king who courted Assyria and even sacrificed his own son.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 16; 2 Chron. 28; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:9
Amminadab
His family rose to prominence in Judah around the time of the Exodus.
Cited in the guide: Exod. 6:23; Ruth 4:19-20; 1 Chron. 2:10; Matt. 1:4
Amon
A short-lived wicked king, assassinated by his own officials.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 21:19-26; 2 Chron. 33:21-25; Matt. 1:10
Asa
A reforming king who tore down idols and trusted the LORD against vast armies.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 15:9-24; 2 Chron. 14-16; Matt. 1:7-8
Azor
A silent generation in the line, preserved only as a name in Matthew.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:13-14
Boaz
The kind landowner of Bethlehem who redeemed and married Ruth the Moabite.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 2-4; 1 Chron. 2:11-12; Matt. 1:5
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Eleazar
An ancestor of Jesus remembered only by his place in the genealogy.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:15
Eliakim
An otherwise unknown ancestor recorded in Matthew's line to Christ.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:13
Eliud
A quiet name in the closing stretch of Matthew's genealogy.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:14-15
Hezekiah
A great reformer who trusted God and saw Jerusalem delivered from Assyria.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chron. 29-32; Isa. 36-39; Matt. 1:9-10
Hezron
A son of Perez who carried Judah's royal line down into the years of Egypt.
Cited in the guide: Gen. 46:12; Ruth 4:18; 1 Chron. 2:5, 9; Matt. 1:3
Jacob
The father of Joseph in Matthew's genealogy, on the eve of the Messiah's coming.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:15-16; cf. Luke 3:23
Jeconiah
Carried captive to Babylon, he marks the low point of David's fallen throne.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 24:8-17; 25:27-30; Jer. 22:24-30; Matt. 1:11-12
Jehoshaphat
A godly king who sent teachers of the Law throughout Judah.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chron. 17-20; Matt. 1:8
Jesse
The Bethlehemite whose youngest son David was anointed king of Israel.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16:1-13; Isa. 11:1; Ruth 4:22; Matt. 1:5-6
Jesus
The Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35): the promised Son of David and Son of Abraham, 'the Word became flesh.' Joseph,…
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:1, 16-17; Luke 3:23-38; John 1:14; Rom. 1:3
Joram
A king who married into Ahab's house and led Judah into idolatry.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 8:16-24; 2 Chron. 21; Matt. 1:8
Joseph
The carpenter of Nazareth, a just man who became Jesus' legal father.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:16-25; 2:13-23; Luke 1:27; 2:1-7
Josiah
The boy king who rediscovered the Law and led Judah's last great reform.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chron. 34-35; Matt. 1:10-11
Jotham
A steady, God-fearing king who grew strong by ordering his ways before the LORD.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 15:32-38; 2 Chron. 27; Matt. 1:9
Manasseh
Judah's longest-reigning and most wicked king — who finally repented in exile.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chron. 33:1-20; Matt. 1:10
Mary
The virgin mother of Jesus, a young woman of Nazareth who trusted God's word.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 1; Luke 1-2
Matthan
The grandfather of Joseph in Matthew's genealogy, otherwise unknown.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:15
Nahshon
Leader of the tribe of Judah in the wilderness, first to bring his offering.
Cited in the guide: Num. 1:7; 2:3; 7:12; Ruth 4:20; Matt. 1:4
Obed
Son of Boaz and Ruth, and grandfather of King David.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 4:13-22; 1 Chron. 2:12; Matt. 1:5; Luke 3:32
Perez
Born of Judah and Tamar, he became the head of the leading clan of Judah.
Cited in the guide: Gen. 38; Ruth 4:18; 1 Chron. 2:4-5; Matt. 1:3
Rahab
The woman of Jericho who hid the spies and became mother of Boaz.
Cited in the guide: Joshua 2, 6; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31
Ram
A little-known link in the chain, faithfully recorded between Hezron and Amminadab.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 4:19; 1 Chron. 2:9-10; Matt. 1:3-4; Luke 3:33
Rehoboam
His harsh answer to the people split the kingdom of Israel in two.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 12; 14:21-31; 2 Chron. 10-12; Matt. 1:7
Ruth
The loyal Moabite widow whose devotion made her great-grandmother of King David.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 1-4; Matthew 1:5
Salmon
He married Rahab of Jericho and fathered Boaz as Israel settled the land.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 4:20-21; 1 Chron. 2:11; Matt. 1:4-5
Shealtiel
A son of the exiled king, a link between fallen throne and hoped-for return.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chron. 3:17; Ezra 3:2; Hag. 1:1; Matt. 1:12; Luke 3:27
Solomon
David's son who built the temple and became famous for God-given wisdom.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 1-11; 1 Chron. 3:5; Matt. 1:6-7
Tamar
Judah's daughter-in-law who, denied justice, became the mother of Perez.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 38; Matthew 1:3
Uzziah
A strong, mostly faithful king whose pride in the temple brought him leprosy.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 15:1-7; 2 Chron. 26; Isa. 6:1; Matt. 1:8-9
Zerubbabel
He led the return from Babylon and rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem.
Cited in the guide: Ezra 3-6; Hag. 2:23; Zech. 4; Matt. 1:12-13
Cross references (22)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Genesis 22:18; Romans 1:3; Galatians 3:16; Revelation 22:16; Psalm 132:11
- 2 Acts 7:8; Hebrews 11:17–18; Genesis 21:2–5; Genesis 46:8–27; Genesis 25:26
- 3 Genesis 38:24–27; Genesis 38:29–30; Genesis 46:12; Ruth 4:18–22; 1 Chronicles 4:1
- 4 1 Chronicles 2:10–12; Numbers 1:7; Numbers 7:12; Numbers 2:3; Numbers 10:14
- 5 Ruth 1:16–17; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25; Ruth 1:22–2:4; Joshua 6:22–25
- 6 1 Kings 15:5; 1 Samuel 17:12; 2 Samuel 23:1; 2 Samuel 12:24–25; 1 Samuel 16:1
- 7 2 Chronicles 14:1–15; 1 Kings 15:8–23; 1 Chronicles 3:10–14; 1 Kings 14:31; 2 Chronicles 13:7
- 8 1 Chronicles 3:11; 2 Chronicles 26:1–23; 2 Kings 3:1; 1 Kings 22:2–50; 2 Chronicles 21:1
- 9 2 Kings 15:32–16:20; Isaiah 7:1–13; Isaiah 36:1–22; 2 Kings 18:1–20; 2 Chronicles 26:21
- 10 2 Chronicles 32:33–35:27; 1 Kings 13:2; 1 Chronicles 3:13–15; Jeremiah 1:2–3; 2 Kings 20:21–23:30
- 11 Jeremiah 27:20; Jeremiah 52:28–30; Jeremiah 52:11–15; 2 Kings 23:31–24:20; 2 Kings 25:11
- 12 1 Chronicles 3:17; Ezra 3:2; Haggai 1:14; Luke 3:27; 1 Chronicles 3:19–24
- 16 Matthew 27:17; Luke 3:23; John 4:25; Luke 1:31–35; Matthew 27:22
- 17 Matthew 1:11–12; 2 Kings 24:14
- 18 Galatians 4:4–5; Luke 1:27–38; Hebrews 10:5; Job 14:4; Genesis 3:15
- 19 Deuteronomy 22:21–24; Deuteronomy 24:1–4; John 8:4–5; Mark 6:20; Genesis 38:24
- 20 Proverbs 3:5–6; Luke 1:19; Matthew 1:18; Joel 2:28; Luke 2:4
- 21 Acts 13:23; Acts 4:12; John 1:29; 1 John 3:5; Colossians 1:20–23
- 22 Luke 24:44; 1 Kings 8:15; Matthew 2:23; Acts 3:18; 1 Kings 8:24
- 23 Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6–7; Psalm 46:11; John 1:14; Isaiah 12:2
- 24 John 15:14; James 2:21–26; John 2:5–8; Exodus 40:32; Exodus 40:16
- 25 Luke 2:21; Exodus 13:2; Exodus 22:29; Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- Isaiah 7:14: “a virgin” or “the young woman”?
The Hebrew text of Isaiah 7:14 says ha-almah, “the young woman.” The Greek Septuagint, translated by Jews before the time of Christ, says hē parthenos, “the virgin,” and St Matthew quotes that Greek wording (Matthew 1:23). The Orthodox Church reads the Septuagint here, as the Apostles did. The faith in the virgin birth does not rest on one Hebrew word, but the word still deserves an honest look.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Do ye indeed remember the charge, which we lately made you, entreating you to hearken unto all the things that are said with all silence, and mystical quietness? For we are to-day to set foot within the holy vestibule, wherefore I have also put you in mind of the charge.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… time brought her good news, saying, "Behold, thou shalt conceive of the Holy Ghost, and shalt bear a Son, and He shall be called the Son of the Highest, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins," --as they who have recorded all that concerns our Saviour Jesus Christ have taught, whom …
Then again Matthew, when speaking of the angel, says, "The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in sleep." Of what Lord he does himself interpret: "That it may be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, Out of Egypt have I called my son." "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bring forth a son, and …
… the days of heaven." Which words, when rightly understood, are all understood to be about the Lord Jesus Christ, under the name of David, on account of the form of a servant, which the same Mediator assumed from the virgin of the seed of David. For immediately something is said about the sins of his children, such as is set …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
3. "And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar." "What doest thou, O man, putting us in remembrance of a history that contains an unlawful intercourse?" But why is this said?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)