But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
- BSB But Jesus told him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
- NKJV But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
- NASB But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
- NLT But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”
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 says, 'Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead,' calling for immediate, undivided commitment. Nothing, even pressing duties, may outrank discipleship.
Overview
Jesus' arresting words likely mean that the spiritually dead can tend to ordinary affairs, while those called to follow him must respond at once. This is not contempt for filial duty but a declaration of his absolute claim. Following Christ is a matter of life itself, and his call takes precedence over every competing loyalty.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Luke 15:32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
- Col 2:13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
- Eph 5:14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
- Eph 2:5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
- Eph 2:1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
- John 1:43The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
- 1 Tim 5:6But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
- Matt 4:18–22And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
- Matt 9:9And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 8:22 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.