Matthew · Chapter 1

Matthew 1:21 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

Read this verse slowly. Let it settle before you move on.

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Read in chapter context · Matthew 1

Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”"

KJV · King James Version

"And1161 she shall bring forth5088 a son5207, and2532 thou shalt call2564 his846 name3686 JESUS2424: for1063 he846 shall save4982 his846 people2992 from575 their846 sins266. JESUS: that is, Saviour, Heb"

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses and, bring, forth, thou, while the WEB renders these as give, birth, you, who. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

Matthew 1:21 in Matthew 1

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Matthew 1:21 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Matthew 1. Read the full chapter →

v.19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
v.20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
v.21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
v.22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
v.23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel”; which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”

Book background

About the Book of Matthew

Testament: New Testament
Genre: Gospel
Author: Matthew (Levi), tax collector turned apostle
Date written: c. 50–70 AD
Audience: Primarily Jewish Christians
Chapters: 28

Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited King in the line of David, structuring his Gospel around five major teaching blocks — most famously the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7). He repeatedly shows how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. The Great Commission (28:18-20) closes the book.

Setting: Written to demonstrate Jesus as Israel's promised Messianic King.

Key themes: kingdom of heaven · fulfillment · discipleship · authority · mission

Read Matthew from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise Matthew 1:21

Matthew 1:21 contains 25 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

1

She shall give birth to a son

SSGBTA
2

You shall call his name Jesus

YSCHNJ
3

for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”

FIIHWS

Frequently asked

FAQ about Matthew 1:21

What does Matthew 1:21 say?

Matthew 1:21 reads: "She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”" — from the New Testament, Matthew (Gospel). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is Matthew 1:21 in?

Matthew 1:21 is in the book of Matthew, traditionally attributed to Matthew (Levi), tax collector turned apostle and written around c. 50–70 AD. Matthew is gospel in the New Testament, originally addressed to Primarily Jewish Christians. Best known for the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes.

What is the difference between Matthew 1:21 in WEB and KJV?

Matthew 1:21 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "And1161 she shall bring forth5088 a son5207, and2532 thou shalt call2564 his846 name3686 JESUS2424: for1063 he846 shall save4982 his846 people2992 from575 their846 sins266. JESUS: that is, Saviour, Heb". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is Matthew 1:21?

Matthew 1:21 is 25 words in the WEB translation (118 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 8 seconds.

How can I memorise Matthew 1:21?

To memorise Matthew 1:21, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does Matthew 1:21 matter in Matthew?

How can I apply Matthew 1:21 today?

Many readers use Matthew 1:21 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Matthew 1:21 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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