Matthew 1:16 kjv

And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Matthew 1:16 nkjv

And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

Matthew 1:16 niv

and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Matthew 1:16 esv

and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

Matthew 1:16 nlt

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

Matthew 1 verses

Matthew 1 16 Meaning

Matthew 1:16 is the culminating verse of Jesus's earthly genealogy, carefully crafted to reveal His unique origin and identity. It directly states that Joseph, while legally Jesus's father as the husband of Mary, was not His biological father. Instead, it emphasizes that Jesus was born "of whom" (referring specifically to Mary), signifying a miraculous, non-biological conception that set Him apart. Furthermore, the verse unequivocally declares Him as "Christ," asserting His divine role as the long-awaited Messiah of Israel, establishing His lineage for legal claim to the Davidic throne while preserving His supernatural birth.

Matthew 1 16 Context

Matthew chapter 1 begins with a detailed genealogy of Jesus Christ, tracing His lineage from Abraham through David, crucial for establishing His identity as the promised Messiah. The entire first seventeen verses are dedicated to this list, primarily focusing on male progenitors and following a repetitive "A begot B" formula. Verse 16 stands as the climactic point of this genealogical record, precisely because it deviates from this pattern. The shift in language at this specific verse—from "begot" to "of whom was born"—is profoundly significant, immediately signaling the unique nature of Jesus's birth.

Historically and culturally, Jewish genealogies almost exclusively followed the patriarchal line to establish legitimacy and hereditary rights, especially for claims to royalty or priestly roles. By presenting Joseph as "the husband of Mary" but not the biological father of Jesus, Matthew skillfully navigates the cultural expectation of a male lineage while asserting the virgin birth. This was essential for an original Jewish audience to understand how Jesus, despite being born outside of a traditional male-descended lineage in the immediate sense, still had legal right to the Davidic throne through Joseph. It also gently counters any potential claims of ordinary human parentage, hinting at divine intervention before the full explanation given in verses 18-25. The designation "who is called Christ" directly addresses the deep-seated Jewish hope for the arrival of the Messiah, grounding Jesus within their prophetic expectations.

Matthew 1 16 Word analysis

• and (καὶ - kai): A simple conjunction, connecting this final link to the preceding generations in the genealogy, yet it introduces a pivotal deviation.
• Jacob (Ἰακὼβ - Iakōb): The immediate male ancestor in the Davidic line leading to Joseph.
• begot (ἐγέννησεν - egennēsen): The standard Greek verb used throughout the preceding fifteen verses (and indeed throughout the whole genealogy in Matthew 1) to denote male procreation. Its specific use here for Jacob "begetting" Joseph highlights the normalcy of Joseph's paternal lineage up to him, making the subsequent change for Jesus all the more striking.
• Joseph (Ἰωσὴφ - Iōsēph): The husband of Mary. He is presented as the last direct link in the Davidic line through which Jesus's legal claim to the throne of David is established.
• the husband of (τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας - ton andra Marias): Literally, "the man of Mary." This phrase defines Joseph's precise relationship to Mary—a legally recognized spouse. It affirms his presence and vital role in Jesus's life and legal standing within Jewish society, while carefully omitting the claim of biological fatherhood for Jesus Himself.
• Mary (Μαρίας - Marias): The mother of Jesus. She is singularly identified here as the unique point of origin for Jesus. Her mention in this patriarchal genealogy, along with three other women earlier, signals an extraordinary circumstance in the line leading to the Messiah.
• of whom (ἐκ τῆς - ek tēs): This is a critical grammatical and theological hinge. "ἐκ" means "out of" or "from," and "τῆς" is the feminine singular genitive definite article, explicitly and exclusively referring to Mary. This phrase deliberately separates the birth of Jesus from Joseph's direct biological involvement. It emphasizes that Mary, and not the combined biological effort of Joseph and Mary, was the source of Jesus's birth.
• was born (ἐγεννήθη - egennēthē): The verb is in the passive voice ("was born" or "was begotten"). This passive construction strongly implies that Jesus's birth was not an active procreative act initiated by a human father. It points to an outside agent or divine causation, contrasting with the active "begot" (ἐγέννησεν) used for all previous male ancestors.
• Jesus (Ἰησοῦς - Iēsous): The central figure of the Gospel. This name, the Greek form of the Hebrew "Yeshua," means "The Lord Saves" or "Yahweh is salvation." His very name declares His saving mission (cf. Mt 1:21).
• who is called (ὁ λεγόμενος - ho legomenos): This phrase indicates that "Christ" is a designated title or accepted designation, affirming His public identity and recognized role.
• Christ (Χριστός - Christos): The Greek translation of the Hebrew term "Messiah" (מָשִׁיחַ - Mashiach), meaning "Anointed One." This title explicitly identifies Jesus as the long-prophesied deliverer and king of Israel, the one sent by God to fulfill His covenants and establish His kingdom.

Matthew 1 16 Bonus section

Matthew's deliberate choice to include four women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Uriah's wife, Bathsheba) in his patriarchal genealogy before Mary, each with unusual or controversial circumstances surrounding their interactions and motherhood, subtly prepares the reader for an unconventional and potentially scrutinized birth story in Mary's case. While not directly detailed in Matthew 1:16, this pattern of divine providence working through irregular or scandalous human situations prefigures the unique and initially questioned nature of Jesus's birth. The contrast between Matthew's careful wording and Luke's "being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph" (Lk 3:23) highlights how both evangelists, though with different nuances, affirm Joseph's legal role but deny his biological paternity. This grammatical precision in Matthew's Greek serves as an immediate, clear, and unmissable signal of the virgin birth, asserting Jesus's unique identity even before the narrative details in the following verses.

Matthew 1 16 Commentary

Matthew 1:16 is a concise yet profound theological statement within the genealogy. By subtly altering the consistent "A begot B" formula for the final entry, Matthew skillfully communicates the dual nature of Jesus: His legitimate, Davidic human lineage through Joseph, and His miraculous, divine origin through Mary alone. The switch from "Jacob begot Joseph" to "of whom (Mary) was born Jesus" is not a mere textual curiosity but a deliberate grammatical device ensuring that the virgin birth is asserted from the Gospel's opening. This ensures Jesus's claim to be the legal heir to David's throne through Joseph's adoptive fatherhood, while unequivocally affirming He was conceived by divine means without an earthly father. The ultimate declaration, "who is called Christ," caps the genealogy by stating Jesus's purpose: He is not just another descendant, but the Anointed One, the promised Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world. It sets the stage for the rest of Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus's authority, identity, and mission will continually underscore His unique divine Sonship and Messiahship.