Bible Lesson 5

Después de que Jesús nació en Belén de Judea en tiempos del rey Herodes, llegaron a Jerusalén unos sabios procedentes del Oriente.

—¿Dónde está el que ha nacido rey de los judíos? —preguntaron—. Vimos levantarse su estrella y hemos venido a adorarlo.

Cuando lo oyó el rey Herodes, se turbó, y toda Jerusalén con él.  Así que convocó de entre el pueblo a todos los jefes de los sacerdotes y maestros de la ley, y les preguntó dónde había de nacer el Cristo.

—En Belén de Judea —le respondieron—, porque esto es lo que ha escrito el profeta:

»“Pero tú, Belén, en la tierra de Judá, de ninguna manera eres la menor entre los principales de Judá; porque de ti saldrá un príncipe que será el pastor de mi pueblo Israel.”

Luego Herodes llamó en secreto a los sabios y se enteró por ellos del tiempo exacto en que había aparecido la estrella.  Los envió a Belén y les dijo:

—Vayan e infórmense bien de ese niño y, tan pronto como lo encuentren, avísenme para que yo también vaya y lo adore.

Después de oír al rey, siguieron su camino, y sucedió que la estrella que habían visto levantarse iba delante de ellos hasta que se detuvo sobre el lugar donde estaba el niño.  Al ver la estrella, se llenaron de alegría.  Cuando llegaron a la casa, vieron al niño con María, su madre; y postrándose lo adoraron. Abrieron sus cofres y le presentaron como regalos oro, incienso y mirra.  Entonces, advertidos en sueños de que no volvieran a Herodes, regresaron a su tierra por otro camino.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the time of king Herod, there arrived in Jerusalem some wise men coming from the East.

“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” they asked. “We saw his star rise and we have come to worship him.”

When king Herd heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. So he convened from among the people all the chiefs of the priests and the teachers of the law, and he asked them where was to be born the Christ.

“In Bethlehem of Judea” they responded to him, “because this is what the prophet has written:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, by no means are you the least among the towns of Judah; because from you will come out a prince who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'”

Then Herod called in secret for the wise men and found out from them the exact time at which had appeared the star. He sent them to Bethlehem and said to them:

“Go and inform yourselves well about this child and, as soon as you find him, advise me so that I also can go and worship him.”

After hearing the king, they continued their way, and it happened that the star that they had seen arise went in front of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. Upon seeing the star, they were filled with joy. When they arrived at the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother; and bowing, they worshiped him. They opened their chests and presented to him as gifts gold, incense and myrrh. Then, warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their land by another way.