Devine Scripture

Matthew 8:21

What does Matthew 8:21 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 8:21 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 8:21 means

Another disciple, someone already associated with Jesus, requests permission to first go and bury his father before fully committing to following Jesus. While this request seems culturally appropriate and dutiful, it is placed in direct tension with Jesus' call for immediate and uncompromising allegiance. The "bury my father" could mean waiting until his father passed or simply returning home for a time to fulfill filial duty.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And another of the disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And another of the disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And another of the disciples said to him, Lord, let me first go and give the last honours to my father.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And another of his disciples said to him, `Sir, permit me first to depart and to bury my father;'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And another of his disciples said to him: Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

But another of his disciples said to him, Lord, suffer me first to go away and bury my father.

Context

This verse presents the second challenge to discipleship, following Jesus' stark warning to the scribe. It introduces a common and legitimate human duty, setting up Jesus' radical call for prioritizing the Kingdom of God above even family obligations, leading to a crucial teaching on the immediate and ultimate demands of following Him.

v.20And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

v.21This passage

v.22But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Numbers 6:6

    All the days that he separateth himself unto Jehovah he shall not come near to a dead body.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:16

    Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

  • Luke 9:59

    And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

  • Deuteronomy 33:9

    Who said of his father, and of his mother, I have not seen him; Neither did he acknowledge his brethren, Nor knew he his own children: For they have observed thy word, And keep thy covenant.

  • Haggai 1:2

    Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, This people say, It is not the time for us to come, the time for Jehovah’s house to be built.

  • 1 Kings 19:20

    And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again; for what have I done to thee?

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