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Then He told them, “For this reason, every scribe who has been discipled in the kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Matthew 13:52 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”
  • KJV Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
  • NKJV Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”
  • NASB And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure new things and old.”
  • NLT Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

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

A scribe trained for the Kingdom brings out treasure both new and old. Gospel-shaped teachers rightly draw on the whole of God's revelation.

Overview

Jesus likens an instructed disciple to a householder who produces from his storeroom treasures both new and old. The trained scribe values the old revelation of the Scriptures alongside the new revelation of the Kingdom in Christ. This affirms continuity between the Old Testament and Jesus' teaching, with Christ as the key that unlocks both.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 28

  • 1 Jn 2:7–8Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard.
  • Titus 1:9He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.
  • 2 Tim 3:16–17All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
  • Matt 12:35The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.
  • 2 Cor 3:4–6Such confidence before God is ours through Christ.
  • Titus 2:6–7In the same way, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.
  • Ezra 7:10For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
  • Prov 16:20–24Whoever heeds instruction will find success, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
  • 1 Tim 3:15–16in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
  • Prov 15:7The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the hearts of fools.
  • Ezra 7:21I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly,
  • Prov 18:4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
  • Luke 11:49Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and others they will persecute.’
  • Matt 23:34Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town.
  • Prov 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
  • 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,
  • John 13:34A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
  • Prov 10:20–21The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked has little worth.
  • Song 7:13The mandrakes send forth a fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, new as well as old, that I have treasured up for you, my beloved.
  • 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.
  • Col 1:7You learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,
  • Prov 22:17–18Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge—
  • Eccl 12:9–11Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
  • Ezra 7:6this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
  • 1 Tim 3:6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.
  • 2 Cor 6:10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
  • Eph 3:4In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
  • 2 Cor 4:5–7For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 13:52YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 13:52 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.