God’s Word Translation
Matthew 3:9
9Don’t think you can say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I can guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.
Matthew 3:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
- New International Version (NIV)And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Context of Matthew 3:9
7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger? 8Do those things that prove you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t think you can say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I can guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. 10The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. 11I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:9 word by word
καὶ μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἀβραάμ· λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι δύναται ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- thinkδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
- notμήmē · notG3361
- to sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- withinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- yourselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- We haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
- toπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- is ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- stonesλίθοςlithos · stoneG3037
- to raise upἐγείρωegeirō · to ariseG1453
- childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
Cross-references for Matthew 3:9
- Mark 7:21Evil thoughts, sexual sins, stealing, murder,
- Luke 3:8Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.
- Luke 5:22Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “What are you thinking?
- Luke 7:39The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and thought, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what sort of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner.”
- Luke 12:17He thought, ‘What should I do? I don’t have enough room to store my crops.’
- Ezekiel 33:24“Son of man, those who live in the ruined cities in Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one person, and he was given the land. But we are many. Certainly the land has been given to us.’
- Luke 16:24He yelled, ‘Father Abraham! Have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue. I am suffering in this fire.’
- John 8:33They replied to Jesus, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. So how can you say that we will be set free?”
- Acts 13:26“Brothers—descendants of Abraham and converts to Judaism—the message that God saves people was sent to us.
- Romans 4:1What can we say that we have discovered about our ancestor Abraham?
- Romans 9:7or a descendant of Abraham. However, ⌞as Scripture says,⌟ “Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name.”
- Galatians 4:22Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one by a woman who was a slave and the other by a free woman.
- Matthew 8:11I can guarantee that many will come from all over the world. They will eat with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
- Luke 19:40Jesus replied, “I can guarantee that if they are quiet, the stones will cry out.”
- Acts 15:14Simon has explained how God first showed his concern by taking from non-Jewish people those who would honor his name.
- Romans 4:17as Scripture says: “I have made you a father of many nations.” Abraham believed when he stood in the presence of the God who gives life to dead people and calls into existence things that don’t even exist.
Commentaries on Matthew 3:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And think not to say - They regarded it as sufficient righteousness that they were descended from so holy a man as Abraham. Compare John 8:33-37, John 8:53. John assured them that this was a matter of small consequence in the sight of God. Of the very stones of the Jordan he could raise up children to Abraham. The meaning seems to be this: God, from these stones, could more easily raise up those who should be worthy children of Abraham, or be like him…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 To make application to the souls of the hearers, is the life of preaching; so it was of John's preaching. The Pharisees laid their chief stress on outward observances, neglecting the weightier matters of the moral law, and the spiritual meaning of their legal ceremonies. Others of them were detestable hypocrites, making their pretences to holiness a cloak for iniquity. The Sadducees ran into the opposite extreme, denying the existence of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’: Some people had wrong assumptions. They thought that being descendants of Abraham meant they were free from God's judgment. A key theme in Matthew is that God will create new children of Abraham. He will include non-Jews (Gentiles) in God's people. He will remove Jews who reject the Messiah (see 8:11–12; 21:43; 22:1–14; 28:16–20; Romans 4:9–25; Galatians 3:6–14, 29).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father--that pillow on which the nation so fatally reposed, that rock on which at length it split. for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham--that is, "Flatter not yourselves with the fond delusion that God stands in need of you, to make good His promise of a seed to Abraham; for I tell you that, though you were all to perish, God is as able to…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 3
- 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
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