Matthew 23:9

Matthew 23:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
• New International Version (NIV)And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

Context of Matthew 23:9

7and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ 8But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. 11The greatest among you will be your servant.

Matthew 23:9 word by word

Καὶ πατέρα μὴ καλέσητε ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὑμῶν ὁ πατὴρ ὁ οὐράνιος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• callκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• noμήmē · notG3361
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the earthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772

Cross-references for Matthew 23:9

• 2 Kings 2:12While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two.
• 2 Kings 6:21When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Should I strike them down, my master?”
• 2 Kings 13:14Now Elisha had a terminal illness. King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. He wept before him and said, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!”
• Job 32:21I will not show partiality to anyone, nor will I confer a title on any man.
• Acts 22:1“Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense that I now make to you.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:15For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
• 1 Timothy 5:1Do not address an older man harshly but appeal to him as a father. Speak to younger men as brothers,
• Hebrews 12:9Besides, we have experienced discipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life?
• Matthew 6:8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
• Malachi 1:6“A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects his master. If I am your father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? The Lord who rules over all asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply, ‘How have we made light of your name?’
• Romans 8:14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
• 2 Corinthians 6:18and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the All-Powerful Lord.
• 1 John 3:1(See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children – and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him.

Commentaries on Matthew 23:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Call no man your Father - Our Lord probably alludes to the Ab, or father of the Sanhedrin, who was the next after the nasi, or president. See on Matthew 20:21; (note). By which he gives his disciples to understand that he would have no Second, after himself, established in his Church, of which he alone was the head; and that perfect equality must subsist among them.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And call no man your Father … - This does not, of course, forbid us to apply the term to our real father. Religion requires all proper honor to be shown to Him, Exodus 20:12; Matthew 15:4; Ephesians 6:1-3. But the word “father” also denotes “authority, eminence, superiority, a right to command, and a claim to particular respect.” In this sense it is used here. In this sense it belongs eminently to God, and it is not right to give it to people. Christian…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Later Jewish writings show that people respected teachers by calling them Father (see, for example, Mishnah Eduyyoth 1:4). one Father: See Matthew 6:9; Malachi 2:10; compare 1 Corinthians 4:15.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven, &c.--To construe these injunctions into a condemnation of every title by which Church rulers may be distinguished from the flock which they rule, is virtually to condemn that rule itself; and accordingly the same persons do both--but against the whole strain of the New Testament and sound Christian judgment. But when we have guarded ourselves against these extremes…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 23:9

• Ecclesiasticism
• Father
• God Continued...
• Hypocrisy
• Minister, Christian
• Pharisees
• Satire
• Teachers

In the dictionaries

• Abase
• Bewray
• Devour
• Exalt
• Father
• Fill
• Gnat
• Ought
• Partaker
• Scribes

Commentaries on Matthew 23

• 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