New International Version
Matthew 9:4
4Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
Matthew 9:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?
Context of Matthew 9:4
2Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”
Read all of Matthew 9Matthew 9:4 word by word
καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν· ἱνατί ἐνθυμεῖσθε πονηρὰ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- knowingὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- thoughtsἐνθύμησιςenthumēsis · reflectionG1761
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- ·ἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- Whereforeτίςtis · which?G5101
- thinkἐνθυμέομαιenthumeomai · to reflect onG1760
- yeσύsu · youG4771
- evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
Cross-references for Matthew 9:4
- Matthew 12:25Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
- Matthew 16:7They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”
- Psalms 44:21would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?
- Psalms 139:2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
- Mark 2:8Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?
- Mark 8:16They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”
- Mark 12:15Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”
- Luke 5:22Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
- Luke 6:8But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.
- Luke 7:40Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.
- Luke 9:46An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.
- Luke 11:17Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.
- John 2:24But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.
- John 6:61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?
- John 16:19Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’?
- John 21:17The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Commentaries on Matthew 9:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Jesus knowing ( seeing) their thoughts - In telling them what the thoughts of their hearts were, (for they had expressed nothing publicly), he gave them the fullest proof of his power to forgive sins; because God only can forgive sins, and God only can search and know the heart. Jesus pronounced the man's sins forgiven; and gave the scribes the fullest proof of his power to do so, by telling them what, in the secret of their souls, they thought on the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Jesus, knowing their thoughts - Mark says, “Jesus perceived “in his spirit” that they so reasoned.” The power of searching the heart, and of knowing the thoughts of people, belongs only to God, 1 Chronicles 28:9; Romans 8:27; Revelation 2:23; Jeremiah 17:10. In claiming this, as Jesus did here, and often elsewhere, he gave clear proofs of his omniscience, John 2:24-25.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-17There was debate and conflict among Jesus opponents. This included the teachers of the law and the Pharisees (Matthew 9:1–13), and also the disciples of John the Baptist (9:14–17).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 9:4
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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