When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.
Parallel translations
- WEB who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
- KJV Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
- NKJV who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
- NASB and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold everything that he had and bought it.
- NLT When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
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
Finding one priceless pearl, the merchant sells all he has to buy it. The Kingdom is worth more than everything else combined.
Overview
Upon discovering a single pearl of supreme value, the merchant liquidates all his possessions to acquire it. Like the hidden treasure, this pictures the incomparable worth of the Kingdom and the fitting response of total investment. To possess Christ and His reign is to gain what makes all other holdings worth surrendering.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Luke 18:28–30“Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.”
- Eph 3:8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
- Col 2:3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- Prov 2:4if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,
- Acts 20:24But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
- Matt 13:44The 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.
- 1 Jn 5:11–12And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
- Mark 10:28–31Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
- Isa 33:6He will be the sure foundation for your times, a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.
- 1 Cor 3:21–23Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours,
- Gal 6:14But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
- Rev 21:21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate consisting of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass.
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 13:46 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.