Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Parallel translations
- WEB Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
- BSB Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.
- NKJV “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
- NASB “Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before people, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
- NLT “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Whoever publicly confesses Christ, He will acknowledge before the Father. Faithful confession now leads to Christ's affirmation in heaven.
Overview
Jesus links present confession of Him with future vindication: those who own Him before others He will own before His Father. Such confession is the outward fruit of saving faith (Rom. 10:9-10). The promise heartens persecuted believers, assuring them that Christ Himself will be their advocate at the final judgment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Rev 3:5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
- Rom 10:9–10That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
- Luke 12:8–9Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
- 1 Jn 4:15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
- 2 Tim 1:8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
- Rev 2:13I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
- 1 Sam 2:30Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
- 1 Tim 6:12–13Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
- Matt 25:34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
- John 9:22These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
- Ps 119:46I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 10:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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