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

10Later, Jesus went to eat a meal in Matthew's house. Many bad people and men who took taxes also came to the house. They came to eat there with Jesus and his disciples. 11Some Pharisees saw what was happening. They said to Jesus' disciples, ‘Your teacher is eating a meal with these bad people. That is not right. They are people who do not obey God, and some of them take taxes from people.’ Jesus heard what the Pharisees were saying. He said to them, ‘People who are well do not need a doctor. It is people who are ill that need a doctor. 13Go and study what it says in the Bible. God says there, “I want people to be kind to each other. I do not want them only to offer sacrifices to me.” Some people think that they always obey God. I did not come to help people like that. Some people know that they have done wrong things. I am asking those people to come to me for help.’ 14Then the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus. They said to him, ‘We often decide to fast for a time. The disciples of the Pharisees also do that. Why do your disciples never do that?’

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 6:2I do not feel strong, Lord, so please be kind to me. Lord, please make me well again. Even my bones are shaking.
• Psalms 41:4I said, ‘Lord be kind to me and forgive me. I have done wrong things against you, but please make me well again.’
• Psalms 147:3He makes people who are very sad well again. He helps their wounds to get better.
• Jeremiah 17:14Lord, please make me well again. Then I will be completely well. Rescue me so that I am completely safe. You are the one that I praise!
• Jeremiah 30:17People say that nobody takes care of you, people of Zion. They say that I have chased you out of your land. But I will give you back your health. I will make your wounds better.’ That is what the Lord says.
• Jeremiah 33:6But listen to me! I will bring health again to the people of this city. I will make my people well again. They will live safely in peace.
• Hosea 14:4The Lord says, ‘My people turned away from me, but I will forgive them. I will love them very much. I will not be angry with them any more.
• Mark 2:17Jesus heard what these people were saying. He said to them, ‘People who are well do not need a doctor. It is people who are ill that need a doctor. Some people think that they always obey God. I did not come to help people like that. Some people know that they have done wrong things. I am asking those people to come to me for help.’
• Luke 5:31Jesus answered them, ‘People who are well do not need a doctor. It is people who are ill that need a doctor.
• Luke 8:43There was a sick woman in the crowd who had lost blood for 12 years. She had paid all her money to doctors and now she had no money. But nobody could help her to become well again.
• Luke 9:11But the crowds found out about this. So they went to find Jesus. When he saw the crowds coming, he welcomed them. He taught them about the kingdom of God. Some sick people were there and he made them well again.
• Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood there by himself. He prayed like this: “Thank you, God, that I am different from all these other people. They are bad people. They rob other people. They have sex with women who are not their wife. Thank you, God, that I am not like this man who takes taxes on behalf of the government.
• Romans 7:9As for me, there was a time when I did not know God's laws. I was living without any law to obey. But when I learned about that command, sin now had power in my life.
• Revelation 3:17You say, ‘I am rich. God has helped me to have many things. I do not need anything more.’ But you do not know how very poor you are really! You are like people who cannot see. You are like people who are without clothes. Really, other people should feel very sorry for you.

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