Single lesson
Jesus' Family Escapes to Egypt and Returns
Matthew 2:13–23; Luke 2:39–40
This lesson traces how Jesus’ family moved to Egypt, returned to the land of Israel, and then lived in Nazareth. Students will sequence the account, notice Joseph’s responses to repeated warnings, and observe what the passage says about danger, guidance and growth.
Before you teach
Matthew 2:13–23 begins with a departure already in view and then records dream messages given to Joseph, Herod’s violent action, and the family’s movements to Egypt, the land of Israel, Galilee and Nazareth. Luke 2:39–40 adds that they returned to Nazareth, their own city, and that Jesus grew there.
Students will be able to retell the sequence of Matthew 2:13–23 and Luke 2:39–40, identify Joseph’s responses to each warning, and state what Luke says about Nazareth and Jesus’ growth there.
Welcome: map the journey we will trace
5 minBriefly explain that this account includes movement, warning and a sad act of violence, so the class will read it carefully and truthfully. Show the references and ask students to listen for each place named: Egypt, the land of Israel, Galilee and Nazareth. Tell them they will build the sequence directly from the words of the passage.
Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:20, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 2:23, Luke 2:39
Read and explain: warnings and movements in order
10 minRead Matthew 2:13–15, 19–23 and Luke 2:39–40 aloud. Point out the pattern carefully. In Matthew 2:13 and Matthew 2:19, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and gives instructions. In Matthew 2:22, Joseph is warned in a dream and withdraws to Galilee. First he goes to Egypt, then comes into the land of Israel, then lives in Nazareth. Luke adds that Nazareth was their own city and that Jesus grew there.
Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:14, Matthew 2:19, Matthew 2:20, Matthew 2:21, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 2:23, Luke 2:39, Luke 2:40
Discuss: choices, danger and what the text says
8 minGuide students to identify the choices and outcomes. Joseph responds promptly each time he is warned. Herod seeks the young child’s life, and later orders the killing of male children in Bethlehem and the surrounding countryside. Matthew also says these events fulfilled words spoken through the prophet. Keep discussion close to what these verses actually state.
Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 2:17, Matthew 2:18, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 2:23
Make and respond: build a sequence strip
12 minIn pairs, students make six sequence cards with short captions from the text: flee to Egypt, stay there, Herod kills children, go into the land of Israel, withdraw to Galilee, live in Nazareth and Jesus grows. After arranging them in order, students add one observation beside each card about a command, response or result named in the verses.
Matthew 2:14, Matthew 2:15, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 2:21, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 2:23, Luke 2:40
Closing: summarise grounded observations
5 minAsk students to give the sequence aloud in one or two sentences. Then ask them to name observations about God and people that they can show from the text, such as God’s warnings in dreams and Joseph’s repeated response. Conclude with two summary points: Joseph acted on the warnings he received, and Jesus lived in Nazareth where he grew, became strong in spirit, and was filled with wisdom.
Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:14, Matthew 2:19, Matthew 2:20, Matthew 2:21, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 2:23, Luke 2:40
Questions to explore
What does Joseph do each time he receives a warning in this passage?
Look at the repeated pattern in the verses: he arises, takes the young child and his mother, and goes where he is told.
Matthew 2:14, Matthew 2:21, Matthew 2:22
How does Matthew describe Herod, and what outcome follows from his anger?
Use the exact wording of the text about Herod seeking the child and then sending out orders against the male children in Bethlehem and the surrounding countryside.
Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:16
What does Luke say about Nazareth and about Jesus there?
Notice that Luke names Nazareth as their own city and then describes Jesus’ growth, strength, wisdom and God’s grace upon him.
Luke 2:39, Luke 2:40
Make, think or respond
Journey Sequence Strip
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pens or pencils
- scissors
- Bible text
Try it together
- Write six short event captions from the passage on separate paper pieces.
- Arrange the pieces in order using the verses to check the sequence.
- Beside each piece, add one note about a command, a response or a result in that verse.
- Share the finished strip with another pair and compare whether the order matches the text.
This activity helps students trace the order of Matthew 2:13–23 and Luke 2:39–40 and notice how each move follows a warning or leads to a stated outcome.
Adapt for your group
- For younger or less confident readers, prepare the six event captions in advance and ask them to place the cards in order before adding simple notes from the verses.
- For stronger readers, ask them to mark which cards show a command, which show Joseph’s response, and which show Matthew or Luke’s summary statement.
An optional closing prayer
‘God, thank you for what this passage shows about your guidance and about Jesus’ early life. Help us read your word carefully and respond with obedience and wisdom.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Matthew 2
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
14 He arose and 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 by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.
17 Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
20 “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”
21 He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,
23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.
Luke 2
39 When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
40 The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.