The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
- KJV Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
- NKJV “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
- NASB “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells everything that he has, and buys that field.
- NLT “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
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
The Kingdom is like hidden treasure a man joyfully sells everything to obtain. The Kingdom's surpassing worth makes any sacrifice to gain it a joy.
Overview
Jesus likens the Kingdom to a treasure discovered in a field, so valuable that the finder gladly sells all he has to buy it. The emphasis falls on the supreme worth of the Kingdom and the joy that motivates full surrender. Far from grudging cost, the disciple counts everything well lost to gain Christ and His reign.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 26
- Prov 2:2–5if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding,
- Col 2:3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- Phil 3:7–9But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.
- Matt 6:21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- Luke 14:33In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.
- Heb 11:24–26By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
- Matt 19:29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
- Prov 16:16How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.
- Prov 23:23Invest in truth and never sell it—in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
- Luke 18:23–24But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.
- Rev 3:18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
- Col 3:3–4For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
- 1 Cor 2:9–10Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
- Matt 19:27“Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?”
- Isa 55:1“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
- Matt 19:21Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- Rom 15:4For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.
- Acts 2:44–47All the believers were together and had everything in common.
- Luke 19:6–8So Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed Him joyfully.
- Matt 13:24Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
- John 6:35Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.
- Heb 10:34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.
- Prov 17:16Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
- Acts 4:32–35The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned.
- Col 3:16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
- Prov 18:1He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.
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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 13:44 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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