<P> The Magi are popularly referred to as wise men and kings . The word magi is the plural of Latin magus , borrowed from Greek μάγος magos , as used in the original Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew ( `` μάγοι '' ) . Greek magos itself is derived from Old Persian maguŝ from the Avestan magâunô , i.e. , the religious caste into which Zoroaster was born ( see Yasna 33.7 : `` ýâ sruyê parê magâunô '' = `` so I can be heard beyond Magi '' ) . The term refers to the Persian priestly caste of Zoroastrianism . As part of their religion , these priests paid particular attention to the stars and gained an international reputation for astrology , which was at that time highly regarded as a science . Their religious practices and use of astrology caused derivatives of the term Magi to be applied to the occult in general and led to the English term magic , although Zoroastrianism was in fact strongly opposed to sorcery . The King James Version translates the term as wise men ; the same translation is applied to the wise men led by Daniel of earlier Hebrew Scriptures ( Daniel 2 : 48 ) . The same word is given as sorcerer and sorcery when describing `` Elymas the sorcerer '' in Acts 13 : 6 -- 11 , and Simon Magus , considered a heretic by the early Church , in Acts 8 : 9 -- 13 . Several translations refer to the men outright as astrologers at Matthew Chapter 2 , including New English Bible ( 1961 ) ; Phillips New Testament in Modern English ( J.B. Phillips , 1972 ) ; Twentieth Century New Testament ( 1904 revised edition ) ; Amplified Bible ( 1958 - New Testament ) ; An American Translation ( 1935 , Goodspeed ) ; and The Living Bible ( K. Taylor , 1962 - New Testament ) . </P>
where did the names of the magi come from
the plural of Latin magus the religious caste