New King James Version
Matthew 9:4
4But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil 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?
- New International Version (NIV)Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
- English Standard Version (ESV)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
2Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” 3And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
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 12:25But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
- Matthew 16:7And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”
- Psalms 44:21Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.
- Psalms 139:2You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
- Mark 2:8But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?
- Mark 8:16And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.”
- Mark 12:15Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.”
- Luke 5:22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
- Luke 6:8But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood.
- Luke 7:40And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
- Luke 9:46Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.
- Luke 11:17But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.
- John 2:24But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,
- John 6:61When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?
- John 16:19Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
- John 21:17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries