Matthew 16:26

16:26 For what does it benefit a person ¹  if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life?

Matthew 20:28

20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom ²  for many.”

Matthew 20:1

Workers in the Vineyard

20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner ³  who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

Matthew 2:6

2:6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are in no way least among the rulers of Judah,

for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” ⁴ 

Matthew 2:1

The Visit of the Wise Men

2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem ⁵  in Judea, in the time ⁶  of King Herod, ⁷  wise men ⁸  from the East came to Jerusalem ⁹ 

Matthew 1:18

The Birth of Jesus Christ

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, ¹⁰  she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

¹ tn Grk “a man,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here to refer to both men and women.

² sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Mark 10:45 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in our place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that we deserved for sin.

³ sn The term landowner here refers to the owner and manager of a household.

⁴ sn A quotation from Mic 5:2.

⁵ map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

⁶ tn Grk “in the days.”

⁷ sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Palestine from 37 b.c. until he died in 4 b.c. He was known for his extensive building projects (including the temple in Jerusalem) and for his cruelty.

⁸ sn The Greek term magi here describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).

⁹ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

¹⁰ tn The connotation of the Greek is “before they came together in marital and domestic union” (so BDAG 970 s.v. συνέρχομαι 3).