1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram. 4 Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon. 5 Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse became the father of King David. David the king became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife. 7 Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa. 8 Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. 9 Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah. 11 Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12 After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor. 14 Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud. 15 Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. 16 Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. 20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23◆ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” 24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25 and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
Matthew · World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
Matthew 1 World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org; the text is shown unaltered.
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
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
Zadok
One of the little-known ancestors bridging the Old and New Testaments.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:14
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)