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Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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THE MESSAGE

Matthew 9:4

Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why this gossipy whispering? Which do you think is simpler: to say, ‘I forgive your sins,' or, ‘Get up and walk'? Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both...." At this he turned to the paraplegic and said, "Get up. Take your bed and go home." And the man did it. The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Capernaum;   Falsehood;   Heart;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Miracles;   Thompson Chain Reference - Evil;   Mind, Carnal-Spiritual;   Thoughts;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Miracle;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Forgiveness;   Heart;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hutchinsonians;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Capernaum;   Palsy;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Diseases;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Incarnation;   Mss;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Atonement (2);   Cures;   Divinity of Christ;   Endurance;   Foresight;   Heart;   Humanity of Christ;   Impotence;   Lord's Supper (Ii);   Matthew, Gospel According to;   Paralysis;   Redemption (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Palsy;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Kingdom of christ of heaven;   Kingdom of god;   Kingdom of heaven;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Forgiveness;   Intercession;   Justification;   Think;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for November 16;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?
King James Version (1611)
And Iesus knowing their thoughts, said, Wherefore thinke yee euill in your hearts?
King James Version
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
English Standard Version
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
New American Standard Bible
And Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?
New Century Version
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why are you thinking evil thoughts?
Amplified Bible
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Geneva Bible (1587)
But when Iesus saw their thoughts, he said, Wherefore thinke yee euil things in your hearts?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?
Legacy Standard Bible
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?
Berean Standard Bible
But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, "Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?
Contemporary English Version
But Jesus knew what was in their minds, and he said, "Why are you thinking such evil things?
Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua, knowing what they were thinking, said, "Why are you entertaining evil thoughts in your hearts?
Darby Translation
And Jesus, seeing their thoughts, said, Why do *ye* think evil things in your hearts?
Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said, "Why are you thinking such evil thoughts?
George Lamsa Translation
But Jesus knew their thoughts; so he said to them, Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Good News Translation
Jesus perceived what they were thinking, and so he said, "Why are you thinking such evil things?
Lexham English Bible
And knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Literal Translation
And seeing their thoughts, Jesus said, Why do you think evil in your hearts?
American Standard Version
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
Bible in Basic English
And Jesus, having knowledge of what was in their minds, said, Why are your thoughts evil?
Hebrew Names Version
Yeshua, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
International Standard Version
But Jesus knewsaw">[fn] their thoughts and said, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?Psalm 139:2; Matthew 12:25; Mark 12:15; Luke 5:22; 6:8; 9:47; 11:17;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But Jeshu knew their reasonings, and said to them, Why reason ye evil in your hearts?
Murdock Translation
But Jesus knew their thoughts: and he said to them, Why do ye think evil [fn] in your heart?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And whe Iesus saw their thoughtes, he sayde: Wherefore thynke ye euyll in your heartes?
English Revised Version
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
World English Bible
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And Jesus seeing their thoughts said, Why think ye evil in your hearts?
Weymouth's New Testament
Knowing their thoughts Jesus said, "Why are you cherishing evil thoughts in your hearts?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne Jhesus hadde seyn her thouytis, he seide, Wherto thenken ye yuele thingis in youre hertis?
Update Bible Version
And Jesus seeing their thoughts said, Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Webster's Bible Translation
And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, Why think ye evil in your hearts?
New English Translation
When Jesus perceived their thoughts he said, "Why do you respond with evil in your hearts?
New King James Version
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
New Living Translation
Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?
New Life Bible
Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said, "Why do you think bad thoughts in your hearts?
New Revised Standard
But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Jesus, knowing, their inward thoughts, said, - To what end are ye cherishing evil thoughts within your hearts?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Revised Standard Version
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And whe Iesus sawe their thoughtes he sayd: wherfore thinke ye evill in youre hertes?
Young's Literal Translation
And Jesus, having known their thoughts, said, `Why think ye evil in your hearts?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But when Iesus sawe their thoughtes, he sayde: wherfore thinke ye euill in youre hertes?.
Mace New Testament (1729)
and Jesus perceiving their reflections, said, why do you entertain so bad an opinion?
Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus knew what they were thinking and saying. He said to them, "Why are your minds filled with evil?

Contextual Overview

1Back in the boat, Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea to Jesus' hometown. They were hardly out of the boat when some men carried a paraplegic on a stretcher and set him down in front of them. Jesus, impressed by their bold belief, said to the paraplegic, "Cheer up, son. I forgive your sins." Some religion scholars whispered, "Why, that's blasphemy!" 4Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why this gossipy whispering? Which do you think is simpler: to say, ‘I forgive your sins,' or, ‘Get up and walk'? Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both...." At this he turned to the paraplegic and said, "Get up. Take your bed and go home." And the man did it. The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

knowing: Matthew 12:25, Matthew 16:7, Matthew 16:8, Psalms 44:21, Psalms 139:2, Mark 2:8, Mark 8:16, Mark 8:17, Mark 12:15, Luke 5:22, Luke 6:8, Luke 7:40, Luke 9:46, Luke 9:47, Luke 11:17, John 2:24, John 2:25, John 6:61, John 6:64, John 16:19, John 16:30, John 21:17, Hebrews 4:12, Hebrews 4:13, Revelation 2:23

Wherefore: Ezekiel 38:10, Acts 5:3, Acts 5:4, Acts 5:9, Acts 8:20-22

Reciprocal: Exodus 16:8 - the Lord heareth Proverbs 23:7 - as Proverbs 24:9 - thought Isaiah 66:18 - their thoughts Daniel 11:24 - forecast his devices Amos 4:13 - and declareth Matthew 15:19 - evil Mark 7:21 - evil 1 Corinthians 13:5 - thinketh

Cross-References

Leviticus 3:17
The Peace-Offering "If your offering is a Peace-Offering and you present an animal from the herd, either male or female, it must be an animal without any defect. Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons, the priests, will throw the blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present all the fat that covers or is connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat around them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver that is removed along with the kidneys. Aaron and his sons will burn it on the Altar along with the Whole-Burnt-Offering that is on the wood prepared for the fire: a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God . "If your Peace-Offering to God comes from the flock, bring a male or female without defect. If you offer a lamb, offer it to God . Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the Tent of Meeting. The sons of Aaron will throw its blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, all the fat on and connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat around them on the loins, and the lobe of the liver which is removed along with the kidneys. The priest will burn it on the Altar: a meal, a Fire-Gift to God . "If the offering is a goat, bring it into the presence of God , lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons will throw the blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God present the fat that covers and is connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat which is around them on the loins, and the lobe of the liver which is removed along with the kidneys. The priest will burn them on the Altar: a meal, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance. "All the fat belongs to God . This is the fixed rule down through the generations, wherever you happen to live: Don't eat the fat; don't eat the blood. None of it."
Leviticus 19:26
"Don't eat meat with blood in it. "Don't practice divination or sorcery.
Deuteronomy 12:16
But you may not eat the blood. Pour the blood out on the ground like water. Nor may you eat there the tithe of your grain, new wine, or olive oil; nor the firstborn of your herds and flocks; nor any of the Vow-Offerings that you vow; nor your Freewill-Offerings and Tribute-Offerings. All these you must eat in the Presence of God , your God, in the place God , your God, chooses—you, your son and daughter, your servant and maid, and the Levite who lives in your neighborhood. You are to celebrate in the Presence of God , your God, all the things you've been able to accomplish.
Deuteronomy 12:23
Only this: Absolutely no blood. Don't eat the blood. Blood is life; don't eat the life with the meat. Don't eat it; pour it out on the ground like water. Don't eat it; then you'll have a good life, you and your children after you. By all means, do the right thing in God 's eyes.
Deuteronomy 14:21
Because you are a people holy to God , your God, don't eat anything that you find dead. You can, though, give it to a foreigner in your neighborhood for a meal or sell it to a foreigner. Don't boil a kid in its mother's milk.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jesus knowing their thoughts,.... Which was a clear evidence, and full demonstration of his deity; for none knows the thoughts of the heart but God; and since he knew the thoughts of men's hearts, it could be no blasphemy in him to take that to himself which belonged to God, even to forgive sins. And this, one would think, would have been sufficient to have approved himself to them as the true Messiah; since this is one of the ways of knowing the Messiah, according to the Jews, and which they made use of to discover a false one.

"Bar Coziba, (they say g,) reigned two years and a half: he said to the Rabbins, I am the Messiah; they replied to him, it is written of the Messiah, that he is "of quick understanding, and judges", (referring to Isaiah 11:3) let us see whether this man is of quick understanding, and can make judgment, i.e. whether a man is wicked, or not, without any external proof; and when they saw he was not of quick understanding, and could not judge in this manner, they slew him.''

But now Christ needed not any testimony of men; he knew what was in the hearts of men, of which this instance is a glaring proof: hence he said,

wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? it was no evil in them to think that God only could forgive sin; but the evil was, that they thought Christ was a mere man, and ought not to have took so much upon him; and that, for so doing, he was a wicked man, and a blasphemer.

g T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 93. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jesus, 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 9:4. Jesus knowing (ιδων 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 subject.

God sounds the secrets of all hearts-no sin escapes his notice; how senseless then is the sinner to think he sins securely when unseen by men! Let us take heed to our hearts, as well as to our conduct, for God searches out and condemns all that does not spring from, and leads not to himself.


 
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