New English Translation
Matthew 8:20
20Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens, and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
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 large crowd around him, he gave orders to go to the other side of the lake. 19Then an expert in the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens, and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22But Jesus said to 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 the birds find a home there, and the swallow builds a nest, where she can protect her young near your altars, O Lord who rules over all, my king and my God.
- Psalms 104:17where the birds make nests, near the evergreens in which the herons live.
- Psalms 40:17I am oppressed and needy! May the Lord pay attention to me! You are my helper and my deliverer! O my God, do not delay!
- Psalms 69:29I am oppressed and suffering! O God, deliver and protect me!
- Psalms 109:22For I am oppressed and needy, and my heart beats violently within me.
- Isaiah 53:2He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.
- Luke 2:7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
- Luke 8:3and Joanna the wife of Cuza (Herod’s household manager), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their own resources.
- 2 Corinthians 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.
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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