New International Version
Matthew 9:14
14Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
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?
- 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?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”
Context of Matthew 9:14
12On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” 15Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. 16“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.
Read all of Matthew 9Matthew 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 11:2When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples
- John 3:25An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.
- John 4:1Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John—
- Matthew 6:16“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
- Matthew 11:18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
- Proverbs 20:6Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?
- Mark 2:18Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
- Luke 5:33They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”
- Luke 18:9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:
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
In the dictionaries
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
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