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.”
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.
- 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.”
- 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 has no honor in his own country.
- Luke 4:24He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.
- Matt 11:6Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”
- Isa 53:3He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him.
- John 6:61But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
- Isa 49:7Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, says to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and rise up; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
- Isa 8:14He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
- Luke 7:23Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”
- 1 Cor 1:23–28but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,
- Acts 7:51–52“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
- John 6:42They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down out of heaven?’”
- Luke 2:34–35and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.
- Mark 6:3Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were offended at him.
- Acts 7:37–39This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.’
- Acts 3:22–23For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.
- Mark 6:14King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, “John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these 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
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