Matthew 1:24

Mary and Joseph by Domenico Beccafumi c. 1518

Matthew 1:24 is the twenty-fourth verse of the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Joseph has just been informed of the nature of Jesus and what he should do by an angel. In this verse Joseph carries out the angels instructions.

The original Koine Greek, according to Westcott and Hort, reads:

εγερθεις δε [ο] ιωσηφ απο του υπνου εποιησεν ως προσεταξεν

αυτω ο αγγελος κυριου και παρελαβεν την γυναικα αυτου

In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel

of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

The World English Bible translates the passage as:

Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the

Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;

For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 1:24

Joseph carries out the angel's instructions exactly. "Taking his wife" refers to the second portion of the marriage ritual. Mary and Joseph had already been wed, but by tradition the bride stayed in her father's home for another year or so. At that point the husband would take the wife into his home. It is this second phase of the marriage that "take his wife" refers to. The Greek and the later text make clear this is not a euphemism for sexual relations.^[1] Jones notes that rapid and unquestioning obedience, as shown here by Joseph, is an important virtue in the Gospel.^[2]

References

1. Albright, W.F. and C.S. Mann. "Matthew." The Anchor Bible Series. New York: Doubleday & Company, 1971.,
2. Jones, Alexander. The Gospel According to St. Matthew. London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1965.