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Matthew 1

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Quick answer

Matthew opens with Jesus' genealogy and birth, presenting him as the son of David and son of Abraham — Immanuel, "God with us."

The genealogy is a theological argument: Jesus is the promised king and the one through whom the nations are blessed. The virgin birth is read as the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 — God has come to be with his people.

Part of The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus📖 Matthew introduction

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1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. ✦ 2Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; ✦ 3And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; ✦ 4And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; ✦ 5And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; ✦ 6And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; ✦ 7And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; ✦ 8And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; ✦ 9And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; ✦ 10And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; ✦ 11And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: ✦ 12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; ✦ 13And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. ✦ 17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. ✦ 18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. ✦ 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. ✦ 20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. ✦ 21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. ✦ 22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, ✦ 23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. ✦ 24Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: ✦ 25And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. ✦

Tap any verse for its study page. Underlined terms mark a concept, person, or place; ✦ marks verses with cross-references.

In this chapter

Person / place AbrahamPerson / place DavidPerson / place Jesus of NazarethConcept ImmanuelConcept Messiah / Christ

Where this chapter connects

Luke 1 ·12Luke 2 ·111 Chr 3 ·8Matt 2 ·7Luke 3 ·7Matt 1 ·6Gen 38 ·51 Chr 2 ·5

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 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.

Resources, by level

Lay

  • ★ Start hereDocumentaryFollowing the MessiahAppian Media · Free · evangelical

    A free, beautifully shot 10-part series walking the lands of Jesus' life — Bethlehem, Galilee, Jerusalem, and more.

  • ★ Start hereVideoBibleProject — video overviews & word studiesBibleProject · 5–10 min · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overviews of every book of the Bible, plus themes and Hebrew/Greek word studies — the best visual on-ramp to any book. (Biblical-theology, broadly evangelical, not distinctly Reformed.)

  • ★ Start hereAudioThrough the WordThrough the Word · ~10 min/chapter · Free · evangelical

    A clear ~10-minute audio teaching for every one of the Bible's 1,189 chapters — the most systematic free way to study chapter by chapter.

  • DocumentaryHolyLandSiteHolyLandSite · Free · evangelical

    Free on-location videos tying biblical events to the actual sites in Israel — the Temple Mount, Galilee, Capernaum, and more.

  • ApologeticsCold-Case Christianity (J. Warner Wallace)J. Warner Wallace · Free · evangelical

    A cold-case homicide detective examines the Gospels' reliability — forensic faith for skeptics and seekers.

Pastoral

  • SermonGrace to You — John MacArthurJohn MacArthur · Free · reformed

    Decades of careful verse-by-verse expository sermons, especially through the New Testament. (MacArthur, d. 2025; archive remains free.)

  • DocumentaryThat the World May KnowRay Vander Laan · Paid · evangelical

    Ray Vander Laan's on-location series immersing you in the Bible's historical and cultural world. (Mostly paid via Focus on the Family; some free clips.)

  • SermonChuck Smith — C2000 SeriesChuck Smith · Free · evangelical

    Free verse-by-verse audio through the entire Bible from the founder of Calvary Chapel.

  • CommentaryCommentary on Matthew 1Matthew Henry · Free

    On the genealogy and the name Immanuel.

Commentaries & study tools

Matthew 2 →