And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”
Parallel translations
- WEB They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house.”
- KJV And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
- NKJV So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”
- NASB And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not dishonored except in his hometown and in his own household.”
- NLT And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.”
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
They take offense at Jesus, who notes that a prophet lacks honor in his hometown. Nearness to Christ does not guarantee acceptance of Him.
Overview
The people of Nazareth are scandalized by Jesus despite His wisdom and works. He responds with the proverb that a prophet is dishonored chiefly among his own people and household. This explains their rejection and connects Jesus to the long line of prophets spurned by their own, foreshadowing the wider rejection that would lead to the cross.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- John 4:44Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.
- Luke 4:24Then He added, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
- Matt 11:6Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”
- Isa 53:3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
- John 6:61Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you?
- Isa 49:7Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”
- Isa 8:14And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.
- Luke 7:23Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”
- 1 Cor 1:23–28but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
- Acts 7:51–52You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
- John 6:42They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’”
- Luke 2:34–35Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
- Mark 6:3Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.
- Acts 7:37–39This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
- Acts 3:22–23For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you.
- Mark 6:14Now King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
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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 13:57 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.