That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Parallel translations
- WEB that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
- BSB This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
- NKJV that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
- NASB This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled:
- NLT This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:
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
Matthew explains that Jesus' quiet ministry fulfills Isaiah's prophecy of the Servant.
Overview
This formula citation introduces the longest Old Testament quotation in Matthew, drawn from Isaiah 42. It interprets Jesus' avoidance of fanfare as the deliberate fulfillment of Scripture. Jesus is the promised Servant of the Lord, not merely a wonder-worker.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Isa 42:1–4Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
- Isa 42:9Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
- Isa 44:26That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
- Isa 41:22–23Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.
- Matt 21:4All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
- John 12:38That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
- Matt 13:35That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
- Luke 24:44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
- John 10:35If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
- Matt 8:17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
- Luke 21:22For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
- John 19:28After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
- Acts 13:27For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
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 12:17 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.