New Living Translation
Matthew 13:12
12To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.
Matthew 13:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
- New International Version (NIV)Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Context of Matthew 13:12
10His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” 11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. 14This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.
Read all of Matthew 13Matthew 13:12 word by word
ὅστις γὰρ ἔχει, δοθήσεται αὐτῷ καὶ περισσευθήσεται· ὅστις δὲ οὐκ ἔχει, καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- whosoeverὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- to himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- shall be givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- he shall have more abundanceπερισσεύωperisseuō · to exceedG4052
- butδέde · thenG1161
- notοὐou · noG3756
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- shall be taken awayαἴρωairō · to take upG142
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
Cross-references for Matthew 13:12
- Matthew 25:29To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.
- Mark 4:24Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.
- Luke 8:18“So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”
- Luke 9:26If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.
- Luke 19:24“Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’
- John 15:2He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.
- Matthew 21:43I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.
- Isaiah 5:4What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?
- Mark 12:9“What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.
- Luke 10:42There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
- Luke 12:20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
- Luke 16:2So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’
- Revelation 2:5Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.
- Revelation 3:15“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!
Commentaries on Matthew 13:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Whosoever hath, to him shall be given - This is an allusion to a common custom in all countries: he who possesses much or is rich, to such a person, presents are ordinarily given. Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath - That is, the poor man: he that has little may be easily made a prey of, and so lose his little. This is a proper sense of the word in sacred and profane writers. In 1 Corinthians 11:22, , those who have not…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10-17Verses 10-17 Christ, in these verses, gives a “reason” why he used this manner of instruction. See also Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10. Matthew 13:11 The mysteries of the kingdom - The word “mystery,” in the Bible, properly means a thing that is “concealed,” or that “has been concealed.” It does not mean that the thing was “incomprehensible,” or even difficult to be understood. The thing might be “plain” enough if revealed, but it means simply that it “had”…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-15Jesus answered the disciples question in verse 10. He told them that the Jews' stubborn disbelief and rejection of him brought God's condemnation.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. For whosoever hath--that is, keeps; as a thing which he values. to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance--He will be rewarded by an increase of what he so much prizes. but whosoever hath not--who lets this go or lie unused, as a thing on which he sets no value. from him shall be taken away even that he hath--or as it is in Luke (Lu 8:18), "what he seemeth to have," or, thinketh he hath. This is a principle of immense importance, and…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 13:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 13
- 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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