Matthew 1:17
New International Version
Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

New Living Translation
All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.

English Standard Version
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Berean Standard Bible
In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

Berean Literal Bible
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David until the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

New American Standard Bible
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

NASB 1995
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

NASB 1977
Therefore all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the time of Christ fourteen generations.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.

Amplified Bible
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen; from David to the Babylonian deportation (exile), fourteen generations; and from the Babylonian deportation to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Christian Standard Bible
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, 14 generations.

American Standard Version
So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations.

Contemporary English Version
There were 14 generations from Abraham to David. There were also 14 from David to the exile in Babylonia and 14 more to the birth of the Messiah.

English Revised Version
So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So there were 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 generations from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations from the exile until the Messiah.

Good News Translation
So then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, and fourteen from David to the exile in Babylon, and fourteen from then to the birth of the Messiah.

International Standard Version
So all the generations from Abraham to David totaled fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon totaled fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah there were fourteen generations.

Majority Standard Bible
In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

NET Bible
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations.

New Heart English Bible
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the exile to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 to Christ are fourteen generations.

Weymouth New Testament
There are therefore, in all, fourteen generations from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Removal to Babylon; and fourteen from the Removal to Babylon to the Christ.

World English Bible
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
All the generations, therefore, from Abraham to David [are] fourteen generations, and from David to the Babylonian removal fourteen generations, and from the Babylonian removal to the Christ, fourteen generations.

Berean Literal Bible
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David until the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Young's Literal Translation
All the generations, therefore, from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations, and from David unto the Babylonian removal fourteen generations, and from the Babylonian removal unto the Christ, fourteen generations.

Smith's Literal Translation
Therefore all the generations from Abraham to David, fourteen generations; and from David to the transferring of Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the transferring of Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
So all the generations, from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations. And from David to the transmigration of Babylon, are fourteen generations: and from the transmigration of Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the transmigration of Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the transmigration of Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.

New American Bible
Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

New Revised Standard Version
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore all the generations, from Abraham down to David, are fourteen generations; and from David down to the Babylonian captivity, fourteen generations; and from the Babylonian captivity down to Christ, fourteen generations.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Therefore all generations from Abraham until David were fourteen generations, and from David until the captivity of Babel, fourteen generations, and from the captivity of Babel until The Messiah, fourteen generations.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
So all the generations from Abraham till David are fourteen generations: and from David till the removal to Babylon are fourteen generations: and from the removal to Babylon till the Christ are fourteen generations.

Godbey New Testament
Therefore all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; from David unto the captivity of Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the captivity of Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

Haweis New Testament
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the carrying away into Babylon fourteen generations, and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ fourteen generations.

Mace New Testament
So all the generations from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations: and from David to the Babylonian transmigration, are fourteen generations: and from the Babylonian transmigration unto Christ, are fourteen generations.

Weymouth New Testament
There are therefore, in all, fourteen generations from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Removal to Babylon; and fourteen from the Removal to Babylon to the Christ.

Worrell New Testament
All the generations, therefore, from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the removal to Babylon, fourteen; and from the removal to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.

Worsley New Testament
All the generations therefore from Abraham to David are fourteen generations: and from David until the captivity of Babylon fourteen generations: and from the Babylonish captivity unto Christ, fourteen generations.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Genealogy of Jesus
16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ. 18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.…

Cross References
Luke 3:23-38
Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, / the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, / the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, ...

Genesis 5:1-32
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in His own likeness. / Male and female He created them, and He blessed them. And in the day they were created, He called them “man.” / When Adam was 130 years old, he had a son in his own likeness, after his own image; and he named him Seth. ...

Genesis 11:10-26
This is the account of Shem. Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphaxad. / And after he had become the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters. / When Arphaxad was 35 years old, he became the father of Shelah. ...

1 Chronicles 1:1-28
Adam, Seth, Enosh, / Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, / Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. ...

1 Chronicles 2:1-15
These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, / Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. / The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanite. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death. ...

1 Chronicles 3:1-24
These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam of Jezreel; the second was Daniel by Abigail of Carmel; / the third was Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; the fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith; / the fifth was Shephatiah by Abital; and the sixth was Ithream by his wife Eglah. ...

Ruth 4:18-22
Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, / Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, / Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, Nahshon was the father of Salmon, ...

Galatians 3:16
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.

Galatians 3:29
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

Romans 1:3
regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh,

Romans 9:5
Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.

Genesis 12:1-3
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. / I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. / I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.

Genesis 22:18
And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Genesis 28:14
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.


Treasury of Scripture

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 to Christ are fourteen generations.

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Abraham Babylon Babylonian Carrying Christ David Deportation Exile Fourteen Generations Messiah Removal
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Abraham Babylon Babylonian Carrying Christ David Deportation Exile Fourteen Generations Messiah Removal
Matthew 1
1. The genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph.
18. He is miraculously conceived of the Holy Spirit by the Virgin Mary.
19. The angel satisfies the doubts of Joseph,
21. and declares the names and office of Jesus;
25. Jesus is born














In all, then, there were fourteen generations
The phrase "fourteen generations" is significant in the Jewish tradition, as numbers often hold symbolic meaning. The number fourteen is twice seven, and seven is a number of completeness and perfection in the Bible, often associated with God's creation and covenant. The repetition of "fourteen generations" emphasizes the divine orchestration and fulfillment of God's promises through history. The Greek word for "generations" (γενεαί, geneai) can also imply a lineage or a period, underscoring the continuity and faithfulness of God's plan from Abraham to Christ.

from Abraham to David
Abraham and David are pivotal figures in Jewish history. Abraham is the patriarch with whom God made a covenant, promising that all nations would be blessed through his descendants (Genesis 12:3). David, the shepherd-king, represents the establishment of a royal lineage and the promise of an eternal kingdom (2 Samuel 7:16). The phrase highlights the fulfillment of God's covenantal promises through these key figures, bridging the patriarchal and monarchical eras of Israel's history.

fourteen from David to the exile in Babylon
This period marks the transition from the height of Israel's monarchy to its lowest point, the Babylonian exile. The exile was a time of judgment and reflection for Israel, as they faced the consequences of their disobedience to God. The phrase "exile in Babylon" (ἐξορία Βαβυλῶνος, exoria Babylōnos) serves as a reminder of God's justice but also His mercy, as He promised restoration and return. The fourteen generations here signify a complete cycle of judgment and hope, leading to the anticipation of redemption.

fourteen from the exile to the Christ
The final set of fourteen generations culminates in the arrival of "the Christ" (ὁ Χριστός, ho Christos), the Anointed One, fulfilling the messianic prophecies and expectations of the Old Testament. This phrase encapsulates the hope and fulfillment of God's redemptive plan through Jesus, the Messiah. The use of "Christ" rather than "Jesus" emphasizes His divine mission and role as the Savior, the ultimate fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham and David.

(17) The arrangement into three triads of fourteen generations each was obviously in the nature of a memoria technica. The periods embraced by the three groups were, it may be noted, of very unequal length; and the actual omission of names in one of them, makes it possible that the others may have been treated in the same way.

(1) From the birth of Abraham to the birth of David, taking the dates supplied by the received chronology of the Old Testament. B.C. 1996-1085.

(2) From the birth of David to the Captivity. B.C. 1085-588.

(3) From the Captivity to the birth of Jesus. B.C. 588-4.

There remains the further question, how we are to reconcile the genealogy given by St. Matthew with that given by St. Luke (Luke 3:23-38). This will, it is believed, be best dealt with in a short Excursus in the Notes on that Gospel. Here it may be sufficient to note that the difference between the two is, at least, strong presumptive evidence that neither of the two Evangelists had seen the record of the other. It is otherwise hardly conceivable that the element of difficulty which these differences involve should have been introduced by one or the other without a word of explanation. Each, it may be presumed, copied a document which he found, and the two documents were drawn up on a different plan as to the ideas of succession recognised in each of them.

Verse 17. - Fourteen generations. To make the list more easy to remember, the names were so ordered that there should be the same number in each of the three divisions. Thus a means was afforded of checking the correctness of the enumeration, and the list became a sort of memoria technica. Unto Christ; better here, unto the Christ. For now begins the history which tells of this Jesus as the specially Anointed One of God, the true Messiah, of which all the previously anointed messengers had been but types and figures. The history which St. Matthew is about to give demonstrates that in Jesus were fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament which the Jews had constantly referred to the Messiah, for whose appearance the pious in Israel were ever looking.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
In all,
Πᾶσαι (Pasai)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

then,
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

[there were] fourteen
δεκατέσσαρες (dekatessares)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1180: Fourteen. From deka and tessares; ten and four, i.e. Fourteen.

generations
γενεαὶ (geneai)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1074: From genos; a generation; by implication, an age.

from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

Abraham
Ἀβραὰμ (Abraam)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 11: Abraham, progenitor of the Hebrew race. Of Hebrew origin; Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch.

to
ἕως (heōs)
Preposition
Strong's 2193: A conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until.

David,
Δαυὶδ (Dauid)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1138: David, King of Israel. Of Hebrew origin; Dabid, the Israelite king.

fourteen
δεκατέσσαρες (dekatessares)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1180: Fourteen. From deka and tessares; ten and four, i.e. Fourteen.

from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

David
Δαυὶδ (Dauid)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1138: David, King of Israel. Of Hebrew origin; Dabid, the Israelite king.

to
ἕως (heōs)
Preposition
Strong's 2193: A conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until.

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

exile
μετοικεσίας (metoikesias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3350: From a derivative of a compound of meta and oikos; a change of abode, i.e., expatriation.

to Babylon,
Βαβυλῶνος (Babylōnos)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 897: Of Hebrew origin; Babylon, the capitol of Chaldaea (as a type of tyranny).

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

fourteen
δεκατέσσαρες (dekatessares)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1180: Fourteen. From deka and tessares; ten and four, i.e. Fourteen.

from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

exile
μετοικεσίας (metoikesias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3350: From a derivative of a compound of meta and oikos; a change of abode, i.e., expatriation.

to
ἕως (heōs)
Preposition
Strong's 2193: A conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Christ.
Χριστοῦ (Christou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham (Matt. Mat Mt)
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