When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Parallel translations
- WEB When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
- BSB When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight.
- 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 ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
- Luke 2:20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
- Luke 2:10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
- Rom 15:9–13And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
- Ps 67:4O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
- Deut 32:13He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;
- Acts 13:46–48Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we 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.