God’s Word Translation
Matthew 14:26
26When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. They said, “It’s a ghost!” and began to scream because they were afraid.
Matthew 14:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
- New International Version (NIV)When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
Context of Matthew 14:26
24The boat, now hundreds of yards from shore, was being thrown around by the waves because it was going against the wind. 25Between three and six o’clock in the morning, he came to them. He was walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. They said, “It’s a ghost!” and began to scream because they were afraid. 27Immediately, Jesus said, “Calm down! It’s me. Don’t be afraid!” 28Peter answered, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.”
Read all of Matthew 14Matthew 14:26 word by word
Οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης περιπατοῦντα ἐταράχθησαν λέγοντες ὅτι φάντασμά ἐστιν, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου ἔκραξαν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And whenκαίkai · andG2532
- the disciplesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
- sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- walkingπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
- onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
- they were troubledταράσσωtarassō · to troubleG5015
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- It isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- a spiritφάντασμαphantasma · ghostG5326
- they cried outκράζωkrazō · to cryG2896
- forἀπόapo · away fromG575
- fearφόβοςphobos · fearG5401
Cross-references for Matthew 14:26
- 1 Samuel 28:12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly and asked, “Why did you deceive me? You’re Saul!”
- Job 4:14fear and trembling came over me, and all my bones shook.
- Daniel 10:6His body was like beryl. His face looked like lightning. His eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and legs looked like polished bronze. When he spoke, his voice sounded like the roar of a crowd.
- Mark 6:49When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought, “It’s a ghost!” and they began to scream.
- Luke 1:11Then, to the right of the incense altar, an angel of the Lord appeared to him.
- Luke 24:5The women were terrified and bowed to the ground. The men asked the women, “Why are you looking among the dead for the living one?
- Acts 12:15The people told her, “You’re crazy!” But she insisted that Peter was at the door. They said, “It has to be his angel.”
- Revelation 1:17When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. Then he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the first and the last,
Commentaries on Matthew 14:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26It is a spirit - That the spirits of the dead might and did appear, was a doctrine held by the greatest and holiest of men that ever existed; and a doctrine which the caviliers, free-thinkers and bound-thinkers, of different ages, have never been able to disprove.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26They were troubled - They were afraid. The sight was remarkable. It was sufficient to awe them. In the dark night, amid the tumultuous billows appeared the form of a man. They thought it was a spirit an apparition. It was a common belief among the ancients that the spirits of people after death frequently appeared to the living.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-33Verses 22-33 Those are not Christ's followers who cannot enjoy being alone with God and their own hearts. It is good, upon special occasions, and when we find our hearts enlarged, to continue long in secret prayer, and in pouring out our hearts before the Lord. It is no new thing for Christ's disciples to meet with storms in the way of duty, but he thereby shows himself with the more grace to them and for them. He can take what way he pleases to save his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-33Jesus showed his power over nature, giving the disciples a chance to trust him as the Son of God (Mathhew 14:33; see also 8:23–27; Psalm 8:6; Hebrews 2:8–9).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 14:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 14
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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