Matthew 9:37

Matthew 9:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
• New International Version (NIV)Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Context of Matthew 9:37

35Jesus went to visit all the towns and villages near there. He taught the people in the Jewish meeting places. He told them the good news about God's kingdom. He also caused sick people to become well again from all their different pains and illnesses. 36When Jesus saw the crowds of people, he felt sorry for them. They had trouble in their minds. They had nobody to help them. Jesus thought, ‘These people are like sheep that have nobody to take care of them.’ Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Many people are ready to believe God's message. They are like crops in the fields at harvest time. But there are very few workers to bring in the crops. 38So pray to God to send out workers. The field and the crops belong to him.’

Matthew 9:37 word by word

Τότε λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• saith heλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• untoμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• The harvestθερισμόςtherismos · harvestG2326
• trulyμένmen · on the other handG3303
• plenteousπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• butδέde · thenG1161
• the labourersἐργάτηςergatēs · workerG2040
• fewὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641

Cross-references for Matthew 9:37

• Matthew 28:19So you must go to people in every country of the world. Teach them how to become my disciples. Baptize them by the authority of God the Father, his Son and the Holy Spirit.
• Mark 16:15Then Jesus said to them, ‘Go to all people everywhere in the world. Tell God's good news to everyone.
• Luke 10:2Before they went, he said to them, ‘Many people are ready to believe God's message. They are like crops in a field at harvest time. But there are very few workers to bring in the crops. So pray to God to send out workers. The field and the plants belong to him.’
• Luke 24:47People in every country of the world must hear God's message. They must stop doing wrong things and change how they live. When they do this, God will forgive them. He will forgive all the bad things that they have done. People need to tell this message about the Messiah in Jerusalem first, then tell people in other countries.
• John 4:35You often say, “It is still four more months until the plants in the farmers' fields will be ready for the harvest.” But I say that you should open your eyes. Look at the fields. The plants are ready for the harvest now.
• Acts 16:9During that night, Paul had a vision. In the vision, he saw a man from the region called Macedonia. The man stood there and he said to Paul, ‘Please, please come across the sea to Macedonia and help us.’
• Acts 18:10I am here with you. Nobody will hurt you. There are many people in this city who will believe in me.’
• Psalms 68:11The Lord gives a command! Very many women take his message to other places.
• 1 Corinthians 3:9Apollos and I work together as God's servants. You are like God's field that we work in. You are also like a building that belongs to God.
• 2 Corinthians 6:1So, as we work together with God, we tell you to be careful. Remember that God has been very kind and he has forgiven you. Do not waste that!
• Philippians 2:19I want to send Timothy to come to you soon. I hope that the Lord Jesus will let me do that. Then, when Timothy returns to me, he can tell me news about you. And that will make me happy.
• Colossians 4:11Jesus, who is also called Justus, says ‘hello’ to you, too. These three men are the only Jewish believers who are serving God with me. We work together to bring people into the kingdom of God. These men have helped me to be strong.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:12Our friends, we ask you to respect your leaders who work hard among you. They lead you and they teach you what is right on the Lord's behalf.
• 1 Timothy 5:17Everyone should respect leaders of the believers who lead the church well. The church should also pay them properly for their work. That is certainly true for leaders who teach God's people and speak God's message to them.

Commentaries on Matthew 9:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37The harvest - The souls who are ready to receive the truth are very numerous; but the laborers are few. There are multitudes of scribes, Pharisees, and priests, of reverend and right reverend men; but there are few that work. Jesus wishes for laborers, not gentlemen, who are either idle drones, or slaves to pleasure and sin, and nati consumere fruges. "Born to consume the produce of the soil." It was customary with the Jews to call their rabbins and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37The harvest truly is plenteous … - Another beautiful image. A waving field of golden grain invites many reapers and demands haste. By the reference to the harvest here, he meant that the multitude of people that flocked to his ministry was great. The people expected the Messiah. They were prepared to receive the gospel; but the laborers were few. He directed them, therefore, to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth reapers. God is the proprietor…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 35-38Verses 35-38 Jesus visited not only the great and wealthy cities, but the poor, obscure villages; and there he preached, there he healed. The souls of the meanest in the world are as precious to Christ, and should be so to us, as the souls of those who make the greatest figure. There were priests, Levites, and scribes, all over the land; but they were idol shepherds, Zec 11:17; therefore Christ had compassion on the people as sheep scattered, as men…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-38Harvest refers to the great number of people who are ready to hear and respond to God’s message (see also Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43; Mark 4:26–29; John 4:35–38; Revelation 14:15–20). the Lord of the harvest: God is the true master of the harvest. All ministries are under his call (see Matthew 23:8–10, 13). So Jesus encourages his disciples to pray for God to send out more workers.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3737. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous--His eye doubtless rested immediately on the Jewish field, but this he saw widening into the vast field of "the world" (Mt 13:38), teeming with souls having to be gathered to Him. but the labourers--men divinely qualified and called to gather them in--"are few."Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 9:37

• Agriculture
• Harvest
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

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• Eat
• Garment
• Harvest
• Hem
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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