Matthew 1:16
ESV
and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
NIV
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.
NASB
Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
CSB
and Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus who is called the Christ.
NLT
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
KJV
And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
NKJV
And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
What does Matthew 1:16 mean?
Matthew's long genealogy of Jesus reaches its conclusion in this verse. He followed Jesus' line from Abraham through King David all of the way to Jacob, the father of Joseph. This verse is carefully and specifically worded, since Joseph is not Jesus' genetic birth father. Verse 18 will state outright that Mary's pregnancy was a result of the work of the Holy Spirit and not from sleeping with Joseph.However, Joseph's legal role as Jesus' father is the basis for Matthew's claim that Jesus is legally descended from Abraham and David. Joseph is said to be the husband of Mary, a legal relationship giving him parental status of Jesus, and giving Jesus legal rights as Joseph's heir. Jesus is said to have been born of Mary and called "Christ," which means "anointed." Matthew's first-century Jewish readers would likely have understood the name to be a title which meant "Messiah."
