Matthew 8:20

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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

Context of Matthew 8:20

18When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Matthew 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 sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
• Psalms 104:17There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers.
• Psalms 40:17But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.
• Psalms 69:29But as for me, afflicted and in pain— may your salvation, God, protect me.
• Psalms 109:22For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
• Isaiah 53:2He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
• Luke 2:7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
• Luke 8:3Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
• 2 Corinthians 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might 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

• Birds
• Character
• Fox
• Instability
• Jesus, the Christ
• Self-Denial
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Son of man
• Daemon
• Gnashing
• Heal
• Hole
• Immediately
• Rebuke
• Sickness

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