Matthew 9:14

Matthew 9:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
• New International Version (NIV)Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

Context of Matthew 9:14

12When Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. 13Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?” 15Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast. 16No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, because the patch will pull away from the garment and the tear will be worse.

Matthew 9:14 word by word

Τότε προσέρχονται αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου λέγοντες· διὰ τί ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι νηστεύομεν πολλά, οἱ δὲ μαθηταί σου οὐ νηστεύουσιν;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• came toπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• the disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• of JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• doνηστεύωnēsteuō · to fastG3522
• weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• oftπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• butδέde · thenG1161
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• notοὐou · noG3756

Cross-references for Matthew 9:14

• Matthew 11:2Now when John heard in prison about the deeds Christ had done, he sent his disciples to ask a question:
• John 3:25Now a dispute came about between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew concerning ceremonial washing.
• John 4:1Now when Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard that he was winning and baptizing more disciples than John
• Matthew 6:16“When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.
• Matthew 11:18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’
• Proverbs 20:6Many people profess their loyalty, but a faithful person – who can find?
• Mark 2:18Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. So they came to Jesus and said, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”
• Luke 5:33Then they said to him, “John’s disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours continue to eat and drink.”
• Luke 18:9Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else.

Commentaries on Matthew 9:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Thy disciples fast not? - Probably meaning that they did not fast so frequently as the others did, or for the same purposes, which is very likely, for the Pharisees had many superstitious fasts. They fasted in order to have lucky dreams, to obtain the interpretation of a dream, or to avert the evil import of a dream. They also fasted often, in order to obtain the things they wished for. The tract, Taanith is full of these fasts, and of the wonders…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14-17Verses 14-17 Then came the disciples of John … - This narrative is found also in Mark 2:18-22; Luke 5:33-39. The reference here is to John the Baptist. It is probable that they had understood that John was the forerunner of the Messiah; and if such was the case, they could not account for the fact that there was such a difference between them and the disciples of Jesus. The Pharisees fasted often - regularly twice a week besides the great national days of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-17Verses 14-17 John was at this time in prison; his circumstances, his character, and the nature of the message he was sent to deliver, led those who were peculiarly attached to him, to keep frequent fasts. Christ referred them to John's testimony of him, Joh 3:29. Though there is no doubt that Jesus and his disciples lived in a spare and frugal manner, it would be improper for his disciples to fast while they had the comfort of his presence. When he is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14Fast: Fasting was a way to show humility and repentance before God (2 Samuel 12:16–23; Daniel 9:3). It also reminded the nation of their need to repent (Leviticus 16:29–31; Nehemiah 9:1). Some believed fasting would help bring the Messiah more quickly by purifying God’s people. Jesus and his disciples did not fast (Matthew 11:18–19) This was a quiet but clear message: the Messiah had already come (see also 6:16).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 9:14

• Capernaum
• Disciple
• Fasting
• Jesus, the Christ
• Pharisees

In the dictionaries

• Bridechamber
• Capernaum
• Cheer
• Comfort
• Daughter
• Disciple
• Eat
• Garment
• Harvest
• Hem

Commentaries on Matthew 9

• 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