Matthew 14:4

Matthew 14:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
• New International Version (NIV)for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)because John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Context of Matthew 14:4

2He said to his officials, “This is John the Baptizer! He has come back to life. That’s why he has the power to perform these miracles.” 3Herod had arrested John, tied him up, and put him in prison. Herod did this for Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. John had been telling Herod, “It’s not right for you to be married to her.” 5So Herod wanted to kill John. However, he was afraid of the people because they thought John was a prophet. 6When Herod celebrated his birthday, Herodias’ daughter danced for his guests. Herod was so delighted with her that

Matthew 14:4 word by word

ἔλεγεν γὰρ ὁ Ἰωάννης αὐτῷ· οὐκ ἔξεστίν σοι ἔχειν αὐτήν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• Johnὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• It isἔξεστι, ἐξόνexesti · be permittedG1832
• notοὐou · noG3756
• for theeσύsu · youG4771
• to haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192

Cross-references for Matthew 14:4

• Leviticus 18:16Never have sexual intercourse with your sister-in-law. She is your brother’s wife.
• Leviticus 20:21Whoever marries his brother’s wife violates his brother’s marriage and does an unclean thing. That man and woman will have no children.
• Deuteronomy 25:5When brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother must marry her and sleep with her. He must do his duty as her brother-in-law.
• 2 Samuel 12:7“You are the man!” Nathan told David. “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: I anointed you king over Israel and rescued you from Saul.
• 1 Kings 21:19Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord asks: Have you murdered someone just to confiscate ⌞a vineyard⌟?’ Then tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: At the place where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, the dogs will lick up your blood.’ ”
• 2 Chronicles 26:18They opposed King Uzziah. They said to him, “Uzziah, you have no right to burn incense as an offering to the Lord. That right belongs to the priests, Aaron’s descendants, who have been given the holy task of burning incense. Get out of the holy place because you have been unfaithful. The Lord God will not honor you for this.”
• Proverbs 28:1A wicked person flees when no one is chasing him, but righteous people are as bold as lions.
• Isaiah 8:20They should go to the teachings and to the written instructions. If people don’t speak these words, it is because it doesn’t dawn on them.
• Mark 6:18John had been telling Herod, “It’s not right for you to be married to your brother’s wife.”
• Acts 24:24Some days later Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him talk about faith in Christ Jesus.

Commentaries on Matthew 14:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. - Here is an instance of zeal, fidelity, and courage, highly worthy of imitation. Plainness, mildness, and modesty, are qualifications necessary to be observed when we reprove the great. The best service a subject can render his prince is to lay before him, in the plainest but most respectful manner, what the law of God requires of him, and what it forbids. How unutterable must the punishment…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3-5Verses 3-5 For Herod had laid hold on John … - See Mark 6:17-20; Luke 3:19-20. This Herodias was a granddaughter of Herod the Great. She was first married to Herod Philip, by whom she had a daughter, Salome, probably the one that danced and pleased Herod. Josephus says that this marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias took place while he was on a journey to Rome. He stopped at his brother‘s; fell in love with his wife; agreed to put away his own wife, the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4John kept warning Herod about his sin (see Leviticus 18:6; 20:21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-12The time of this alarm of Herod Antipas appears to have been during the mission of the Twelve, and shortly after the Baptist--who had been in prison for probably more than a year--had been cruelly put to death. Herod's Theory of the Works of Christ (Mt 14:1, 2). 1. At that time Herod the tetrarch--Herod Antipas, one of the three sons of Herod the Great, and own brother of Archelaus (Mt 2:22), who ruled as ethnarch over Galilee and Perea. heard of the fame…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 14:4

• Adultery
• Herod
• Incest
• John
• Malice
• Oath
• Persecution
• Politics
• Prisoners
• Rulers
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Antipas
• Bid
• Dead
• Delay
• Herodias
• Instruct
• John the Baptist
• Save
• Sorry
• Walk

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