Matthew 23:9

Matthew 23:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
• New International Version (NIV)And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
• New Living Translation (NLT)And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father.

Context of Matthew 23:9

7greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Matthew 23:9 word by word

Καὶ πατέρα μὴ καλέσητε ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὑμῶν ὁ πατὴρ ὁ οὐράνιος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• callκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• noμήmē · notG3361
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the earthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772

Cross-references for Matthew 23:9

• 2 Kings 2:12And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.
• 2 Kings 6:21Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”
• 2 Kings 13:14Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”
• Job 32:21Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone; Nor let me flatter any man.
• Acts 22:1“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:15For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
• 1 Timothy 5:1Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,
• Hebrews 12:9Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
• Matthew 6:8“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
• Malachi 1:6“A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’
• Romans 8:14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
• 2 Corinthians 6:18“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”
• 1 John 3:1Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Commentaries on Matthew 23:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Call no man your Father - Our Lord probably alludes to the Ab, or father of the Sanhedrin, who was the next after the nasi, or president. See on Matthew 20:21; (note). By which he gives his disciples to understand that he would have no Second, after himself, established in his Church, of which he alone was the head; and that perfect equality must subsist among them.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And call no man your Father … - This does not, of course, forbid us to apply the term to our real father. Religion requires all proper honor to be shown to Him, Exodus 20:12; Matthew 15:4; Ephesians 6:1-3. But the word “father” also denotes “authority, eminence, superiority, a right to command, and a claim to particular respect.” In this sense it is used here. In this sense it belongs eminently to God, and it is not right to give it to people. Christian…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Later Jewish writings show that people respected teachers by calling them Father (see, for example, Mishnah Eduyyoth 1:4). one Father: See Matthew 6:9; Malachi 2:10; compare 1 Corinthians 4:15.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven, &c.--To construe these injunctions into a condemnation of every title by which Church rulers may be distinguished from the flock which they rule, is virtually to condemn that rule itself; and accordingly the same persons do both--but against the whole strain of the New Testament and sound Christian judgment. But when we have guarded ourselves against these extremes…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 23:9

• Ecclesiasticism
• Father
• God Continued...
• Hypocrisy
• Minister, Christian
• Pharisees
• Satire
• Teachers

In the dictionaries

• Abase
• Bewray
• Devour
• Exalt
• Father
• Fill
• Gnat
• Ought
• Partaker
• Scribes

Commentaries on Matthew 23

• 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