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And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Matthew 28:18 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
  • KJV And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
  • BSB Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
  • NASB And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
  • NLT Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

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

Jesus declares that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. The risen Christ announces His universal, sovereign reign.

Overview

This sweeping claim echoes the vision of the Son of Man in Daniel who receives everlasting dominion. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus is exalted as Lord over all creation, the basis for the mission that follows. His authority guarantees that the church's task is backed by the King to whom every power is subject.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 29

  • John 3:35The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
  • 1 Pet 3:22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
  • Matt 11:27All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.
  • Eph 1:20–22which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
  • Heb 2:8You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t see all things subjected to him, yet.
  • 1 Cor 15:27For, “He put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when he says, “All things are put in subjection”, it is evident that he is excepted who subjected all things to him.
  • Dan 7:13–14I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
  • John 17:2even as you gave him authority over all flesh, he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
  • John 13:3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God,
  • Isa 9:6–7For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
  • Phil 2:9–11Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;
  • Heb 1:2has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.
  • Col 2:10and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;
  • Luke 10:22Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.”
  • Rev 19:16He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
  • Rom 14:9For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
  • Matt 26:64Jesus said to him, “You have said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky.”
  • Col 1:16–19For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.
  • Rev 17:14These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.”
  • Luke 1:32–33He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,
  • Rev 11:15The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”
  • John 5:22–27For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son,
  • Ps 89:27I will also appoint him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
  • Acts 2:36“Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
  • Ps 110:1–3A Psalm by David. Yahweh says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”
  • Ps 2:6–9“Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”
  • Acts 10:36The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all —
  • Ps 89:19Then you spoke in vision to your saints, and said, “I have given strength to the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people.
  • Matt 16:28Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

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 28:18YouTube · 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 28:18 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.