Daily Bible Reading “Jesus was Born in Bethlehem” (Matthew 2:1-23)

Posted on December 24, 2025 by Deborah H. Bateman

Jesus was Born in Bethlehem

Matthew 2 tells about the birth of Jesus. He was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king. Bethlehem means “house of bread.” In John 6:35 Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” Bethlehem was a village about six miles south of Jerusalem.

There were wise men who came to Jerusalem saying they saw a star in the east, and asking, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?” When Herod heard this, he was upset and so was the whole city of Jerusalem. Herod wasn’t a religious man, neither was he Jewish. He was a Palestinian politician who preferred everything Greek. Herod had never heard of the prophecy from Micah 5:2, which clearly points to the Messiah coming from Bethlehem.

Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem to search for the child and when they found Him they worshiped Him. Then the wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they went another way. Herod sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem who were from birth to two years old.

Joseph was warned in a dream that he should take Jesus and Mary to Egypt to keep Herod from finding Jesus and killing Him. This looks like they were running away, but it had been prophesied when the LORD said in Hosea 11:1 which Matthew quoted, “Out of Egypt have I called my Son.” They stayed in Egypt until Herod died only a year or two later.

Then Joseph had a dream telling him to take them to Israel. But when he heard Herod’s son, Archelaus was reigning in Judea he was afraid, so he went to Nazareth. This fulfilled another prophesy which said Jesus would be called a Nazarene. If you will notice that all these things look like they are not meant to be, but were previously prophesied.

This reminds me of one of my favorite Scriptures, Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” We see that every move which was made had been previously orchestrated by God.

Daily Bible Reading:

Matthew 2:1-23

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 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.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Things to think about:

How did Joseph feel knowing Jesus was being sought by Herod to be killed?
Have you ever noticed in your own life things that seem to be problems end up being for your good?
Think about what it must have been like to be the parents of the children who were killed by Herod.
What prophesies were fulfilled in this Scripture?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Son, Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem. Thank You that You protected Him from Herod. Help us to remember what the Scriptures have to say about the birth of Jesus. Thank you for this Scripture which helps us to see that there are no accidents and that all things work together for Your will. We love You, LORD. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse:

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, …

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behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, – Matthew 2:1

This is an excerpt from The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ in honor of the celebration of Jesus’ birth for Christmas.

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PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Please come back again tomorrow and invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.

Featured Book:

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ
by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ is a Daily Bible Reading Study by Deborah H. Bateman, which takes you through the life of Jesus Christ. The book of Matthew is the first book in the New Testament of the Bible. It begins with the genealogy of Jesus Christ and His birth.

The Book of Matthew also goes into Jesus’ ministry on earth, including the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ parables, and Jesus’ final days, including His death, burial, and resurrection. The book concludes with the great commission.

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ includes fifty-seven daily devotionals which contain a brief commentary, the Daily Bible Reading Scripture, a few questions to think about, and a prayer of the day. It is a great book for individual daily devotions or a group Bible study.

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Daily Bible Reading “Mary Did You Know” (Matthew 1:18-25)

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Deborah H. Bateman

Mary Did You Know

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Matthew 1:18-25. Have you ever considered the real meaning of Christmas? It is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. While we do all kinds of things during the holiday season to celebrate, such as buying gifts, decorating our houses, decorating trees, going to parties, and having family celebrations, our focus should be on the real reason for the season.

In the previous study we looked at the genealogy of Jesus Christ. In this lesson, we go back to the beginning, when it was first discovered that Jesus Christ was going to be born into this world through a miracle of God.

Matthew starts telling about the birth of Jesus in Matthew 1:18. Mary was a virgin, chosen by God, to be the mother of Jesus. It was a miraculous birth, because Mary was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Think about how Mary must have felt when she found out she was expecting a child, but had never had a physical relationship with a man. Mary was engaged to Joseph, who was a just man. At first, he thought he should put her away privately and not make a public example of her.

But the angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream and confirmed that Mary had conceived of the Holy Ghost. He told Joseph that Mary was going to have a son and they should call him JESUS. Can you imagine how Joseph must have felt when he woke from that dream?

The angel also told Joseph that Jesus would save His people from their sins. This was the purpose of Jesus’ birth; from the beginning God brought Jesus into the human race to be the Savior of the world. He used Mary as an instrument to allow Jesus to be born as a human, so He could live in this world and ultimately so He could be the sacrifice for our sins.

Daily Bible Reading:

Matthew 1:18-25

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Things to think about:

Can you imagine how Mary felt when she found out she was expecting a baby?

Can you imagine how Joseph felt when he found out his fiancée Mary was going to have a baby even though they didn’t have a physical relationship?

Think about the miracle God performed when He caused Mary to be expectant of the Holy Ghost.

Do you celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus Christ?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this account from Matthew about the virgin birth of Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for sending Him to the earth to be our Savior. When we celebrate the Christmas season, help us to keep our focus on the true reason for the season. We love You, LORD. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse:

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and

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they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

– Matthew 1:23

This is an excerpt from The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ by Deborah H. Bateman

Christian Music: Mary Did You Know ~ Reba McEntire

PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back again tomorrow. We will share an excerpt from The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ in honor of the celebration of Jesus’ birth for Christmas.

Featured Book:

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ
by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

Go to: Amazon

Get your copy now!

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Have a blessed day,

Deborah

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Daily Bible Reading “Genealogy of Jesus Christ” (Matthew 1:1-17)

Posted on December 22, 2025 by Deborah H. Bateman

Genealogy of Jesus Christ

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Matthew 1:1-17. This is a study of the book of Matthew and his account of the life of Jesus Christ. In today’s Bible Study, we’ll look at the Scripture from Matthew 1:1-17. In this Scripture, we’ll find the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Often times we skip these Scriptures when we see them in the Bible, but it is important that we know the genealogy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As you read through these Scriptures look at some of the names you recognize from other parts of the Bible. Most of us remember Abraham, who was a faithful follower of God in the Old Testament. This promise was made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”How about Isaac, Jacob, and Judas? Then we get into some names that may not be as familiar to us.

Notice in this scripture that Boaz, Ruth, and their son, Obed, are mentioned. We also see King David who was the son of Jesse, Obed’s son. We see Solomon mentioned. Then we go back into some names that are not as popular and we may not even recognize some of them, until we come to Jacob, whose son was Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. This was Jesus’ legal blood line through Joseph, not His blood line through His mother, Mary.

Take note of the fact that there were four women mentioned in this genealogy. Most of the time you won’t see women mentioned when genealogy is listed. However, when you look at the backgrounds of these women, you will find the grace of God evident through their lives.

In Matthew 1:17, we are told, “So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.” Do you wonder what the significance of three sets of fourteen generations was?

Daily Bible Reading:

Matthew 1:1-17

1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;

5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her [that had been the wife] of Urias;

7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;

8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;

9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;

10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;

11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:

12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;

15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

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

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

Things to think about:

What names listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ do you recognize?

What names do you not recognize?

Why are some names more familiar to us than others?

Take a couple of the names you don’t recognize and look them up to see who they are and what their story was.

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for this Scripture in the Bible that gives us the genealogy of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We thank You for allowing Him to come into this world to be the Savior of the world, so we might be forgiven from our sins. Help us to honor Him with our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse:

And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. – Matthew 1:16

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This is an excerpt from The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ by Deborah H. Bateman

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PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Please come back again tomorrow and invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study. We will continue to share excerpts for the from The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ in honor of the celebration of Jesus’ birth for Christmas.

Featured Book:

The Book of Matthew: Life of Jesus Christ
by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

Go to: http://bookShow.me/B00C1JGJMQ
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Click Here to Subscribe to Deborah H. Bateman author site to receive Daily Bible Reading Lessons in your inbox.

Have a blessed day,

Deborah

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Daily Bible Reading “LORD, Hear My Prayer” (Psalm 102:1-14)

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Deborah H. Bateman

LORD, Hear My Prayer

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Psalm 102:1-14. Have you ever felt overwhelmed? The Psalmist pours his heart out to the LORD and begs Him to hear his cry. He begs God not to turn His face away in the day of trouble. He wants God to listen to him, hear his prayer, and answer his prayer immediately. Have you ever felt this way? I sure have.

The Psalmist is so distraught that he forgets to eat. He says his days are consumed like smoke and his heart is smitten and withered like grass. His skin cleaves to his bones because of his despair. He is like a pelican in the wilderness and an owl of the desert. He stands watch alone like a sparrow on the rooftop.

His enemies are constantly pursuing him and swearing against him. He has both been lifted up and cast down because of God’s indignation and wrath. He says his days are like a shadow that fades away.

But, the LORD will endure forever and be remembered to all generations. He will arise and have favor on Zion at the set time. His servants take pleasure in the dust of the earth and the stones of the mountains of Zion. What does this mean to us today?

Daily Bible Reading:

Psalm 102:1-14

1 [[A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.]] Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

Things to think about:

When have you felt desperate for God to hear and answer your prayer?
Name a time when you were so distraught you couldn’t eat.
How many times have you felt alone in your time of trouble?
What are some times in life that we might feel this way?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this Scripture in Psalm 102. We can all relate to the Psalmist who is in deep despair and is crying out for You to hear and answer his prayer. At some time in our lives we have all been there. Help us dear LORD in our times of trouble remember to call on Your name and seek Your deliverance from the attacks of the enemy. Give us strength in this troubled world. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse:

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. – Psalm 102:1

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This is an excerpt from The Book of Psalms: Part 4 Chapters 91-118

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PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back again tomorrow. Please invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.

Featured Book:

The Book of Psalms: Part 4 Chapters 91-118
by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

The Book of Psalms: Part 4 Chapters 91-118 by Deborah H. Bateman is 29th book in the Daily Bible Reading Series. The book of Psalms contains 150 chapters. Deborah divided The Book of Psalms into five books to make it easier to read and study. Each book contains approximately thirty chapters from the book of Psalms.

Psalm 119 has already been published in a book about it called: Psalm 119: Thy Word is a Lamp unto My Feet. The book of Psalms is one of Deborah’s favorite books of the Bible. It is a great book to read if you’re ever feeling down or need to renew your relationship with Christ. King David went through a lot of tough times in his lifetime, but he loved God and trusted God to protect him from his enemies.

The book of Psalms was written by various people. About half of it was attributed to King David, whether they were written by David or for David is questioned by some biblical scholars. Some of the Psalms were written by Asaph and some say they were written for the sons of Korah and even Moses and Solomon were writers of the Psalms. The Psalms consists of poetry that was primarily meant to be used as songs of praise to the Lord.

The Book of Psalms: Part 4 Chapters 91-118 contains thirty-six Daily Bible Reading Lessons. Each lesson contains a brief commentary by the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scriptures, a few questions for contemplation or discussion, and a prayer of the day. It is a great Bible study for individuals or group studies.

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Daily Bible Reading “We are the Sheep of His Pasture” (Psalm 100:1-5)

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Deborah H. Bateman

We are the Sheep of His Pasture

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Psalm 100:1-5. Psalm 100 is a Psalm of praise. It tells us to make a joyful noise to the LORD. We’re to serve Him with gladness: and come before His presence with singing. When we worship God, it is an act of service to Him for who He is. We praise God and give thanks to Him for what He has done for us.

He is God. He made us. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. In John 10:14 Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” He laid His life down for the sheep as a commandment from the heavenly Father. The shepherd protects the sheep from wolves and other outside forces that might try to enter the sheepfold and destroy the sheep.

We are to enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Praise and thanksgiving is an entry way into His gates. It is as if praise unlocks the door to His presence. God pays attention when we praise and thank Him. We are to be thankful to God and bless His holy name. We are reminded that the LORD is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Daily Bible Reading:

Psalm 100:1-5

1 [[A Psalm of praise.]] Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Things to think about:

What are some ways you honor the LORD?
In what way do you choose to praise God?
What are some things for which you are thankful to God?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We honor You and praise You because You are good, Your mercy is everlasting, and Your truth endures to all generations. We are Your people. Thank You for Jesus, who laid down His life for our sins. We love You, LORD. Help us to enter into Your gates with thanksgiving, and into Your courts with praise and bless Your holy name. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse:

Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and …

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not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. – Psalm 100:3

This is an excerpt from The Book of Psalms: Part 4 Chapters 91-118

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PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back again tomorrow. Please invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.