When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and embraced Mary as his wife.
Parallel translations
- WEB Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;
- KJV Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
- NKJV Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,
- NASB And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,
- NLT When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joseph wakes and obeys the angel, taking Mary as his wife. His prompt obedience models trusting faith.
Overview
Without recorded protest, Joseph does exactly as the angel commanded, embracing both Mary and the costly calling placed on him. His quiet obedience contrasts with the fear that had gripped him and shows faith expressed in action. By this act he steps into his appointed role in the story of redemption.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Jas 2:21–26Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
- John 15:14You are My friends if you do what I command you.
- John 2:5–8His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
- Exod 40:27and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded him.
- Exod 40:16Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him.
- Gen 22:2–3“Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
- Exod 40:32They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Heb 11:7–8By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
- Exod 40:19Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, just as the LORD had commanded him.
- Gen 6:22So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.
- Gen 7:5And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.
- Exod 40:25and set up the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.
- Heb 11:24–31By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
- 2 Kgs 5:11–14But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Pastoral
On the genealogy and the name Immanuel.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 1:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.