New King James Version
Matthew 10:37
37He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 10:37 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
- New International Version (NIV)“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
Context of Matthew 10:37
35For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Read all of Matthew 10Matthew 10:37 word by word
Ὁ φιλῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ οὐκ ἔστιν μου ἄξιος, καὶ ὁ φιλῶν υἱὸν ἢ θυγατέρα ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ οὐκ ἔστιν μου ἄξιος·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- He that lovethφιλέωphileō · to loveG5368
- fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- orἤē · orG2228
- motherμήτηρmētēr · motherG3384
- more thanὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- worthyἄξιοςaxios · worthyG514
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- daughterθυγάτηρthugatēr · daughterG2364
Cross-references for Matthew 10:37
- Matthew 22:37Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
- Deuteronomy 33:9Who says of his father and mother, ‘I have not seen them’; Nor did he acknowledge his brothers, Or know his own children; For they have observed Your word And kept Your covenant.
- Luke 14:26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
- John 5:23that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
- John 21:15So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:14For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
- Philippians 3:7But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
- Matthew 22:8Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
- Luke 20:35But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;
- Luke 21:36Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
- 2 Thessalonians 1:5which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;
- Revelation 3:4You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
Commentaries on Matthew 10:37
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37He that loveth father or mother more than me - He whom we love the most is he whom we study most to please, and whose will and interests we prefer in all cases. If, in order to please a father or mother who are opposed to vital godliness, we abandon God's ordinances and followers, we are unworthy of any thing but hell.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37He that loveth father or mother - The meaning of this is clear. Christ must be loved supremely, or he is not loved at all. If we are not willing to give up all earthly possessions, and forsake all earthly friends, and if we do not obey him rather than all others, we have no true attachment to him. Is not worthy of me - Is not appropriate to be regarded as a follower of me, or is not a Christian.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-42Verses 16-42 Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddling with worldly or political concerns, all appearance of evil or selfishness, and all underhand measures. Christ foretold troubles, not only that the troubles might not be a surprise, but that they might confirm their faith. He tells them what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-39The cross was a tool used by the Romans for torture and execution (Matthew 27:27–55). To take up your cross and follow Jesus means loving him more than anything else. It also means being ready to obey him, no matter the physical or social consequences.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3737. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me--(Compare De 33:9). As the preference of the one would, in the case supposed, necessitate the abandonment of the other, our Lord here, with a sublime, yet awful self-respect, asserts His own claims to supreme affection.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 10:37
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 10
- 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
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries