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.
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.”
- BSB 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.”
- 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 4:44For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
- Luke 4:24And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
- Matt 11:6And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
- Isa 53:3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
- John 6:61When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
- Isa 49:7Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
- Isa 8:14And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
- Luke 7:23And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
- 1 Cor 1:23–28But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
- Acts 7:51–52Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
- John 6:42And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
- Luke 2:34–35And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
- Mark 6:3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
- Acts 7:37–39This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
- Acts 3:22–23For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
- Mark 6:14And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves 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.