book
While many English versions have “record” or “account” here, the literal rendering of the Greek word βίβλος (biblos) as “book” highlights the connection between this genealogy and the one described in Genesis 5 (introduced in Gen 5:1 as “the book of the generations…”). Both “books” emphasize a particular bloodline: that of Adam in Genesis 5 and that of Jesus in Matthew 1.

the book of the genealogy
As in the previous note, this phrase shows a connection to Genesis 5, “the book of the generations…” The exact English phrase, “the book of the genealogy” is found in Nehemiah 7:5, but there the word “genealogy” translates the Hebrew יַחַשׂ (yahas). This hapax legomenon emphasizes the idea of a formal record or registry rather than a successive bloodline as the root ילד (yalad) in Genesis 5 indicates.

was the father of
The genealogies in Genesis 5 and Matthew 1 employ the repeated use of the verb for “fathering” or “begetting” in their respective languages, which in both cases utilize a cognate of “generation” or “genealogy.” In Genesis 5, both the noun translated “generations” and the verb translated “became the father of” share the Hebrew root ילד (yalad). In Matthew 1, both the noun translated “genealogy” and the verb translated “was the father of” share the Greek root γινομαι (ginomai). These similarities to Genesis 5 invite the reader of Matthew 1 to compare and contrast the two genealogical records. This translation is consistent in every occurrence through verse 16.

was
Throughout Matthew’s genealogy (1:1–17), the Greek verb γεννάω (gennaō) has consistently been translated with the phrase “was the father of” in order to highlight the verbal idea of “begetting” that Matthew intended to repeat when he described each relationship (a total of 40 times).

the wife of Uriah
The word “wife” is not included in the Greek text (τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου; tēs tou Ouriou), but is implied by the Greek article, and such usage is common in the New Testament. This is a clear reference to Bathsheba, and by leaving her name unmentioned and instead emphasizing her relationship to Uriah, Matthew calls the reader to remember David’s sin of adultery and murder. This recollection emphasizes God’s grace to preserve the Messianic line despite the sinful people through whom Christ came.

therefore
While other translations use “So” here for the Greek word οὖν (oun), “Therefore” is the consistent translation of that word unless the surrounding context demands otherwise for clarity. Here, Matthew uses it to draw attention to the fact that even the generations he had just recorded portray that Jesus is the Messiah and the true King of the Jews.

with child
The same phrase translated “with child” here (ἐν γαστρί; en gastri; cf. Matt 1:18, 23; Rev 12:2) is translated as “pregnant” in other places in the gospels (cf. Matt 24:19; Mark 13:17; Luke 21:23); but usages associated with Mary are intentionally translated as “with child” in order to bring out the significance that her conception of Jesus was the miraculous fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14, where it is prophesied that the virgin will be “with child” (הָרָה; harah) and bear the Messiah, Immanuel. Matthew is demonstrating the fulfillment of this prophecy in the virgin Mary, indicating that Jesus is this Messiah, who is truly “God with us” (cf. v. 23). The translation here helps to show this connection to Isaiah 7:14 clearly in English.

One
The phrase “the One who has been conceived” is rendered in some translations using “the child.” However, since the word “child” is not in the Greek text, but rather the Greek article is (τὸ…γεννηθὲν; to…gennēthen), it is translated here as “the One.”

saying
The word “saying” is included here because it appears in the Greek text (λέγοντος; legontos). It is regularly used in Matthew as an introductory formula for Old Testament citations (cf. 2:15, 17; 3:3; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 21:4; 27:9).

with child
Refer to the discussion on verse 18 above.

got up
The phrase “got up” translates the Greek word ἐγείρω (egeirō), which is sometimes translated as “awoke” or “woke up.” The word’s root meaning is to “arise” or “rise up” (often translating the Heb. קום [kum; “arise”/”get up”]), and thus is translated here as “got up.” For consistency, this word is translated throughout with either the idea of “get up” for physical action or “raise” for resurrection contexts. In several cases the translation is to “awake” from sleep where context demands this as the necessary reading (see Rom 13:11; Eph 5:14).

Mary
The Greek text does not specify whom Joseph takes as his wife, but “Mary” is inserted in italics to make this implication clear and to conform with the parallelism of verse 20.