When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight.
Parallel translations
- WEB When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
- KJV When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
- NKJV When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
- NASB When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
- NLT When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!
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
When the wise men see the star, they rejoice with exceedingly great joy. Finding Christ brings overwhelming gladness.
Overview
Matthew piles up words to convey the magi's intense joy at being led to the King. Their delight contrasts with Herod's dread and Jerusalem's unease at the same news. The verse models the proper response to discovering Christ: wholehearted rejoicing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ps 105:3Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
- Luke 2:20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.
- Luke 2:10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
- Rom 15:9–13so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.”
- Ps 67:4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples justly and lead the nations of the earth. Selah
- Deut 32:13He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him the produce of the field. He nourished him with honey from the rock and oil from the flinty crag,
- Acts 13:46–48Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
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 2:10 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.