Matthew 9:12

Matthew 9:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
• New International Version (NIV)On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

Context of Matthew 9:12

10While he was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. 13Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.” 14Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

Matthew 9:12 word by word

ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας εἶπεν οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ᾽ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• whenἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• They that be wholeἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• They that be wholeἰσχύωischuō · be strongG2480
• needχρείαchreia · needG5532
• notοὐou · noG3756
• a physicianἰατρόςiatros · physicianG2395
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• they that are sickκακῶςkakōs · badlyG2560

Cross-references for Matthew 9:12

• Psalms 6:2Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak; heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking;
• Psalms 41:4I said, “Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
• Psalms 147:3He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
• Jeremiah 17:14Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for you are my praise.
• Jeremiah 30:17But I will bring you health and will heal you of your wounds — this is the Lord’s declaration — for they call you Outcast, Zion whom no one cares about.
• Jeremiah 33:6Yet I will certainly bring health and healing to it and will indeed heal them. I will let them experience the abundance of true peace.
• Hosea 14:4I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for my anger will have turned from him.
• Mark 2:17When Jesus heard this, he told them, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
• Luke 5:31Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick.
• Luke 8:43A woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years, who had spent all she had on doctors and yet could not be healed by any,
• Luke 9:11When the crowds found out, they followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.
• Luke 18:11The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people — greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
• Romans 7:9Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life again
• Revelation 3:17For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

Commentaries on Matthew 9:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12They that be whole need not a physician - A common proverb, which none could either misunderstand or misapply. Of it the reader may make the following use: - Jesus Christ represents himself here as the sovereign Physician of souls. That all stand in need of his healing power. That men must acknowledge their spiritual maladies, and the need they have of his mercy, in order to be healed by him. 4. That it is the most inveterate and dangerous disease the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12They that be whole … - Jesus, in reply, said that the whole needed not a physician. Sick persons only needed his aid. A physician would not commonly be found with those that were in health. His proper place was among the sick. So, says he, “If you Pharisees are such as you think yourselves - already pure and holy - you do not need my aid. It would be of no use to you, and you would not thank me for it. With those persons who feel that they are sinners I…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-13Verses 10-13 Some time after his call, Matthew sought to bring his old associates to hear Christ. He knew by experience what the grace of Christ could do, and would not despair concerning them. Those who are effectually brought to Christ, cannot but desire that others also may be brought to him. Those who suppose their souls to be without disease will not welcome the spiritual Physician. This was the case with the Pharisees; they despised Christ, because…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-13Jesus, as Lord and Messiah, removed the obstacles that stopped righteous Jews from interacting with people considered ceremonially unclean or sinful.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them--to the Pharisees and scribes; addressing Himself to them, though they had shrunk from addressing Him. They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick--that is, "Ye deem yourselves whole; My mission, therefore, is not to you: The physician's business is with the sick; therefore eat I with publicans and sinners." Oh, what myriads of broken hearts, of sin-sick souls, have been bound up by this…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 9:12

• Capernaum
• Disease
• Ecclesiasticism
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Pharisees
• Physician
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Bridechamber
• Capernaum
• Cheer
• Comfort
• Daughter
• Eat
• Garment
• Harvest

Commentaries on Matthew 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings