God’s Word Translation
Matthew 8:20
20Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to sleep.”
Matthew 8:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
- New International Version (NIV)Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Context of Matthew 8:20
18Now, when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he ordered ⌞his disciples⌟ to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 19An expert in Moses’ Teachings came to him and said, “Teacher, I’ll follow you wherever you go.” Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to sleep.” 21Another disciple said to him, “Sir, first let me go to bury my father.” 22But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Read all of Matthew 8Matthew 8:20 word by word
καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσιν καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις, ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχει ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- The foxesἀλώπηξalōpex · foxG258
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- holesφωλεόςphōleos · denG5454
- the birdsπετεινόςpeteinon · birdG4071
- of the airοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- nestsκατασκήνωσιςkataskēnōsis · dwelling placeG2682
- butδέde · thenG1161
- the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- notοὐou · noG3756
- whereποῦpou · where?G4226
- to layκλίνωklinō · to bow/lay downG2827
- headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
Cross-references for Matthew 8:20
- Psalms 84:3Even sparrows find a home, and swallows find a nest for themselves. There they hatch their young near your altars, O Lord of Armies, my king and my God.
- Psalms 104:17Birds build their nests in them. Storks make their homes in fir trees.
- Psalms 40:17But I am oppressed and needy. May the Lord think of me. You are my help and my savior. O my God, do not delay!
- Psalms 69:29I am suffering and in pain. Let your saving power protect me, O God.
- Psalms 109:22I am oppressed and needy. I can feel the pain in my heart.
- Isaiah 53:2He grew up in his presence like a young tree, like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that would make us look at him. He had nothing in his appearance that would make us desire him.
- Luke 2:7She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there wasn’t any room for them in the inn.
- Luke 8:3Joanna, whose husband Chusa was Herod’s administrator; Susanna; and many other women. They provided financial support for Jesus and his disciples.
- 2 Corinthians 8:9You know about the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich, yet for your sake he became poor in order to make you rich through his poverty.
Commentaries on Matthew 8:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20The foxes have holes, etc. - Reader! art thou a poor man? and dost thou fear God? Then, what comfort must thou derive from the thought, that thou so nearly resemblest the Lord Jesus! But how unlike is the rich man, who is the votary of pleasure and slave of sin, to this heavenly pattern! Son of man - A Hebrew phrase, expressive of humiliation and debasement; and, on that account, applied emphatically to himself, by the meek and lowly Jesus. Besides, it…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 One of the scribes was too hasty in promising; he proffers himself to be a close follower of Christ. He seems to be very resolute. Many resolutions for religion are produced by sudden conviction, and taken up without due consideration; these come to nothing. When this scribe offered to follow Christ, one would think he should have been encouraged; one scribe might do more credit and service than twelve fishermen; but Christ saw his heart, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Being a disciple of Jesus is not easy. It requires more than knowing the right things. Following Jesus includes being willing to give up life’s normal comforts.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head--Few as there were of the scribes who attached themselves to Jesus, it would appear, from his calling Him Teacher, that this one was a "disciple" in that looser sense of the word in which it is applied to the crowds who flocked after Him, with more or less conviction that His claims were well founded. But from the…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 8:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 8
- 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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