Matthew 2 (Old Syrian Gospels)
1 ܘܟܕ ܐܬܝܠܕ ܝܫܘܥ ܒܝܬ ܠܚܡ ܕܝܗܘܕܐ ܒܝܘܡܝ ܗܪܘܕܣ ܡܠܟܐ ܘܗܐ ܡܓܘܫܐ ܐܬܘ ܡܢ ܡܕܢܚܐ ܠܐܘܪܫܠܡ
2 ܘܐܡܪܝܢ ܐܝܠܟܐ ܗܘ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܕܐܬܝܠܕ ܐܢܚܢܢ ܓܝܪ ܚܙܝܢ ܠܟܘܟܒܗ ܡܢ ܡܕܢܚܐ ܘܐܬܝܢ ܠܡܣܓܕ ܠܗ
3 ܟܕ ܫܡܥ ܕܝܢ ܗܪܘܕܣ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܬܕܠܚ ܘܟܠܗ ܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܥܡܗ
4 ܘܟܢܫ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܪܒܝ ܟܗܢܐ ܘܣܦܖ̈ܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗܘܢ ܕܐܝܠܟܐ ܡܬܝܠܕ ܡܫܝܚܐ܂
5 ܐܡܖ̈ܝܢ ܠܗ ܒܝܬ ܠܚܡ ܕܝܗܘܕܐ܂ ܗܟܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܟܬܝܒ ܒܢܒܝܐ
6 ܘܐܦ ܐܢܬܝ ܒܝܬ ܠܚܡ ܕܝܗܘܕܐ ܠܐ ܗܘܝܬ ܒܨܝܪܐ ܡܢ ܡܠܟ̈ܐ ܕܝܗܘܕܐ ܡܢܟܝ ܓܝܪ ܢܦܘܩ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܗܘ ܢܪܥܝܘܗܝ ܠܥܡܝ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ
7 ܗܝܕܝܢ ܗܪܘܕܣ ܡܛܫܝܐܝܬ ܩܪܐ ܠܗܢܘܢ ܡܓܘ̈ܫܐ ܘܡܥܩܒ ܗܘܐ ܠܗܘܢ ܕܢܕܥ ܒܐܝܢܐ ܙܒܢܐ ܐܬܚܙܝ ܠܗܘܢ ܟܘܟܒܐ܂
8 ܘܫܕܪ ܐܢܘܢ ܠܒܝܬ ܠܚܡ܂ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗܘܢ ܙܠܘ ܥܩܒܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܥܠ ܛܠܝܐ܂ ܘܡܐ ܕܐܫܟܚܬܘܢܝܗܝ ܬܘ ܚܘܘܢܢܝ ܕܐܙܠ ܐܦ ܐܢܐ ܐܣܓܘܕ ܠܗ
9 ܗܢܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܟܕ ܩܒܠܘ ܦܘܩܕܢܐ ܕܡܠܟܐ ܐܙܠܘ ܘܐܬܚܙܝ ܠܗܘܢ ܟܘܟܒܐ ܗܘ ܕܚܙܘ ܗܘܘ ܒܡܕܢܚܐ܂ ܐܙܠ ܗܘܐ ܩܕܡܝܗܘܢ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܐܬܐ ܩܡ ܐܬܪ ܕܬܡܢ ܗܘܐ ܛܠܝܐ܂
10 ܗܢܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܟܕ ܚܙܘܘܗܝ ܠܟܘܟܒܐ ܚܕܘܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ ܚܕܝܘ
11 ܘܥܠܘ ܠܒܝܬܐ ܘܚܙܘܘܗܝ ܠܛܠܝܐ ܥܡ ܡܪܝܡ ܐܡܗ ܘܢܦܠܘ ܘܣܓܕܘ ܠܗ܂ ܘܦܬܚܘ ܣܝܡܬܗܘܢ ܘܩܪܒܘ ܠܗ ܩܘܪܒܢܐ ܕܗܒܐ ܘܡܘܪܐ ܘܠܒܘܢܬܐ
12 ܘܐܬܚܙܝ ܠܗܘܢ ܒܚܙܘܐ ܕܠܐ ܢܗܦܟܘܢ ܠܘܬ ܗܪܘܕܣ܂ ܘܗܢܘܢ ܒܐܘܪܚܐ ܐܚܪܬܐ ܐܙܠܘ ܠܐܬܪܗܘܢ
13 ܘܡܢ ܒܬܪܗܘܢ ܐܬܚܙܝ ܠܝܘܣܦ ܡܠܐܟܐ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܒܚܠܡܐ܂ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܩܘܡ ܫܩܘܠ ܠܛܠܝܐ ܘܠܐܡܗ ܘܥܪܘܩ ܠܡܨܪܝܢ ܘܬܡܢ ܗܘܝ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܐܡܪܢܐ ܠܟ ܡܛܠ ܕܥܬܝܕ ܗܘ ܗܪܘܕܣ ܠܡܒܥܝܗ ܠܛܠܝܐ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܢܘܒܕܝܘܗܝ
14 ܝܘܣܦ ܕܝܢ ܩܡ ܫܩܠܗ ܠܛܠܝܐ ܘܠܐܡܗ ܒܠܠܝܐ ܘܐܙܠ ܠܗ ܠܡܨܪܝܢ܂
15 ܘܬܡܢ ܗܘܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܡܝܬ ܗܪܘܕܣ ܡܠܟܐ܂ ܕܢܬܡܠܐ ܡܕܡ ܕܐܬܡܠܠ ܡܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܒܦܘܡ ܐܫܥܝܐ ܢܒܝܐ܂ ܕܐܡܪ ܗܘܐ ܡܢ ܡܨܪܝܢ ܩܪܝܬ ܠܒܪܝ
16 ܗܝܕܝܢ ܗܪܘܕܣ ܟܕ ܚܙܐ ܕܒܙܚܘ ܒܗ ܡܓܘܫܐ ܐܬܚܡܬ ܛܒ ܘܫܕܪ ܩܛܠ ܛܠܝ̈ܐ ܟܘܠ ܕܐܝܬ ܒܝܬ ܠܚܡ܂ ܘܒܬܚܘܡܗ ܡܢ ܒܪ ܬܪܬܝܢ ܫܢܝܢ ܘܠܬܚܬ ܠܕܡܘܬܐ ܕܙܒܢܐ ܕܐܡܪܘ ܠܗ ܡܓܘܫܐ
17 ܗܝܕܝܢ ܫܠܡܬ ܡܠܬܐ ܕܐܡܪ ܗܘܐ ܐܪܡܝܐ ܢܒܝܐ
18 ܩܠܐ ܐܫܬܡܥ ܒܪܡܬܐ ܐܠܝܐ ܘܒܟܝܐ ܘܬܢܚܬܐ ܣܓܝܐܬܐ ܩܠܐ ܕܪܚܝܠ ܕܒܟܝܐ ܗܘܬ ܥܠ ܒܢܝܗ ܘܠܐ ܨܒܝܐ ܗܘܬ ܠܡܬܒܝܐܘ ܡܛܠ ܕܠܐ ܐܝܬܝ̈ܗܘܢ܀
19 ܟܕ ܡܝܬ ܕܝܢ ܗܪܘܕܣ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܬܚܙܝ ܠܝܘܣܦ ܒܡܨܪܝܢ ܡܠܐܟܐ ܕܡܪܝܐ
20 ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܒܚܠܡܐ ܩܘܡ ܫܩܘܠ ܠܛܠܝܐ ܘܠܐܡܗ ܘܐܙܠ ܠܐܪܥܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܡܛܠ ܕܡܝܬܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܒܥܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܢܦܫܗ ܕܛܠܝܐ
21 ܘܗܘ ܩܡ ܫܩܠܗ ܠܛܠܝܐ ܘܠܐܡܗ ܘܐܬܐ ܠܐܪܥܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ
22 ܟܕ ܫܡܥ ܕܝܢ ܝܘܣܦ ܕܐܪܟܠܐܘܣ ܗܘܐ ܡܠܟܐ ܒܕܘܟܬ ܗܪܘܕܣ ܐܒܘܗܝ ܕܚܠ ܠܡܐܙܠ ܠܬܡܢ ܘܚܙܐ ܒܚܠܡܐ ܕܢܐܙܠ ܠܗ ܠܐܬܪܐ ܕܓܠܝܠܐ
23 ܘܐܬܐ ܠܬܡܢ ܘܥܡܪ ܗܘܐ ܒܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕܡܬܩܪܝܐ ܢܨܪܬ ܘܐܬܡܠܝܬ ܡܠܬܐ ܕܐܡܝܪܐ ܒܢܒܝܐ ܕܢܨܪܝܐ ܢܬܩܪܐ܂
Matthew 2 above is translated into modern English, while keeping it faithful to the Syriac text:
Matthew Chapter 2
1
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, some Magi came from the East to Jerusalem.
2
They said, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the East, and we’ve come to worship him.”
3
When King Herod heard this, he was shaken, and all Jerusalem with him.
4
He gathered all the chief priests and the scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
5
They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, because this is what is written by the prophet:
6
‘And you, Bethlehem of Judea, are not least among the rulers of Judah, for from you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7
Then Herod secretly called the Magi and learned from them exactly when the star had appeared.
8
He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I may go and worship him too.”
9
After hearing the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the East went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with very great joy.
11
They went into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. They fell down and worshiped him. They opened their treasures and offered him gifts—gold, myrrh, and frankincense.
12
They were warned in a vision not to return to Herod, so they went back to their country by another route.
13
After they had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him.”
14
Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt.
15
He stayed there until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16
When Herod saw that he had been deceived by the Magi, he was furious. He sent men and killed all the boys in Bethlehem and in all its surroundings who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.
17
Then the saying spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18
“A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and great lamentation:
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
19
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
20
and said, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, because those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.”
21
He got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.
22
When Joseph heard that Archelaus was ruling Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Warned again in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee.
23
He went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
Observation:
Let’s pry open the Syriac text a little and look at how it ticks under the hood. Syriac loves to reveal nuances that the Greek smooths out.
A few highlights that matter for the texture of Matthew 2 in the Old Syriac tradition:
The word “Magi” appears as mgušē—a loan from Persian culture. In Syriac it carries the sense of astrologer-sages rather than “magicians.” It places them squarely in the world of eastern sky-readers, the kind who built observatories and argued about planetary conjunctions. The text frames them with surprising neutrality; it doesn’t moralize.
“Star” is kokhbā, a word that can mean a point of light but also a heavenly sign. Syriac authors sometimes use it to refer to angels or symbolic lights, so the phrase “we saw his kokhbā in the East” carries a double resonance: a physical phenomenon and a divine signal.
Herod is described as ethdalḥ, “startled” or “thrown into turmoil.” It’s a visceral verb: like someone who’s just had the ground shift beneath their feet. Syriac often makes emotional states loud and bodily.
The scribes and priests are summoned as rabbe kahnē and saprē d‘amā—literally “the great priests” and “the scribes of the people.” The doubling signals both institutional weight and a kind of bureaucratic layer over the story. Matthew’s Syriac gives them the aura of a committee meeting.
Bethlehem is said to be “not bṣīrā,” not small or insignificant among the rulers. The word can also mean “not lacking.” Syriac prophets often speak like this: a town imagined as a person whose status is being lifted.
Herod “secretly” calling the Magi uses maṭšyāyit. There’s a hint of stealth, almost like he’s pulling them aside behind a curtain.
The children killed are the ṭalyē. That’s a warm word: little ones, youngsters. It’s not clinical. It’s designed to hit the heart.
Rachel’s lament comes across with rawness in Syriac: ’alyā (lament), baḵyā (weeping), tanḥtā (deep sighing). Syriac loves these layered emotional triads; the sound of the words themselves feels like mourning.
The angel’s phrase “take the child and his mother” recurs like a refrain. Syriac storytelling uses repetition to anchor memory. It creates a rhythm that moves with Joseph’s footsteps—Bethlehem to Egypt to Galilee.
The closing statement “he shall be called a Nazarene” sits interestingly in Syriac. Naṣrāyā can also mean “keeper” or “one who watches over.” The double meaning is probably coincidental but delicious. It paints Nazareth as both a place-name and a vocation.
There’s more to mine—especially how the syntax shifts between narrative action and citation of prophecy—but these are the bright threads that stand out immediately. The Old Syriac tells the story with a certain earthiness the Greek sometimes rounds off, and following those divergences leads into interesting theological terrain.