When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took 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:
- BSB When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and embraced Mary as 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,
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 2:21–26Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
- John 15:14You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.
- John 2:5–8His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”
- Exod 40:27and he burned incense of sweet spices on it, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
- Exod 40:16Moses did so. According to all that Yahweh commanded him, so he did.
- Gen 22:2–3He said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
- Exod 40:32When they went into the Tent of Meeting, and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
- Heb 11:7–8By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
- Exod 40:19He spread the covering over the tent, and put the roof of the tabernacle above on it, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
- Gen 6:22Thus Noah did. He did all that God commanded him.
- Gen 7:5Noah did everything that Yahweh commanded him.
- Exod 40:25He lit the lamps before Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
- Heb 11:24–31By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
- 2 Kgs 5:11–14But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.’
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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
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