NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
27 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Matthew 2:2 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
26 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
26 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
22 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
They asked around, "Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We're on pilgrimage to worship him."
35 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.'
25 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
27 words
KJV
26 words
ESV
26 words
NLT
22 words
MSG
35 words
NASB
25 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Matthew 2:2?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 2:2 in 6 translations: New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, The Message, New American Standard Bible. Each uses a different translation philosophy — from word-for-word (KJV, ESV, NASB) to thought-for-thought (NIV, NLT) to paraphrase (MSG).
Which translation of Matthew 2:2 is best?
No single translation is "best" — it depends on your purpose. For deep study, use the ESV or NASB (word-for-word). For devotional reading, the NIV balances accuracy and readability. The NLT and MSG are excellent for understanding the general meaning in modern English. Comparing multiple translations helps grasp the full richness of the text.
What is the difference between literal and dynamic Bible translations?
Literal (formal equivalence) translations like KJV, ESV, and NASB translate word-for-word from the original Hebrew/Greek. Dynamic equivalence translations like NIV and NLT translate thought-for-thought for clarity. The MSG is a paraphrase that captures the spirit in contemporary language. Each approach has strengths — that's why comparing translations is valuable.