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| | |Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, | | |Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, |
| − | |When Jesus was born in [[Bethlehem]] in [[Judea]], during the reign of King [[Herod]], ''a number of'' astrologers came to [[Jerusalem]] from the east. | + | |When Jesus was born in [[Bethlehem]] in [[Judea]], during the reign of King [[Herod]], ''a number of'' scholars came to [[Jerusalem]] from the east. |
| − | |These astrologers, or "wise men," were learned men, schooled in [[astrology]] and dream interpretation. The Greek manuscript literally calls them "mages," but no evidence exists that any of them practiced sorcery, thaumaturgy, or any similar art. Their number is ''not'' given in any extant manuscript. They brought three categories of gifts (see below), but they were ''not'' three in number and probably were a much larger party. | + | |"Scholars" captures the concept better in contemporary English than "wise men" or "astrologers". They were learned men, which at that time included study of [[astrology]] and dream interpretation. The Greek manuscript literally calls them "mages," but no evidence exists that any of them practiced sorcery, thaumaturgy, or any similar art. Their number is ''not'' given in any extant manuscript. They brought three categories of gifts (see below), but they were ''not'' three in number and probably were a much larger party. |
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| | |Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. | | |Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. |
| − | |Then Herod spoke privately with the astrologers and carefully asked them when the star would appear which would announce Christ's birth. | + | |Then Herod spoke privately with the scholars and carefully asked them when the star would appear which would announce Christ's birth. |
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| | |Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. | | |Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. |
| − | |Herod was very angry when he saw the astrologers had deceived him. He gave orders than all infants two years old and younger in Bethlehem and the neighboring coastlines be killed, as this would assuredly kill any infant born at the time the astrologers had told him. | + | |Herod was very angry when he saw the scholars had deceived him. He gave orders than all infants two years old and younger in Bethlehem and the neighboring coastlines be killed, as this would assuredly kill any infant born at the time the scholars had told him. |
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