So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”
- KJV Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
- BSB Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”
- NKJV Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
- NASB Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
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 tells his disciples to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers. Mission begins with dependent prayer to God.
Overview
Jesus directs his disciples to ask God, the owner of the harvest, to thrust out laborers into his field. The command shows that the work belongs to God and depends on his sending. Strikingly, those told to pray will themselves become the answer, as the next chapter sends them out.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Luke 10:1–2Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place, where he was about to come.
- Jer 3:15I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
- 2 Th 3:1Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you;
- Acts 13:2As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”
- John 20:21Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
- 1 Cor 12:28God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.
- Acts 8:4Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word.
- Ps 68:11The Lord announced the word. The ones who proclaim it are a great company.
- Mic 5:7The remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.
- Eph 4:11He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
- Luke 6:12–13In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.
- Matt 10:1–3He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.
- Ps 68:18You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among men, yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there.
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 9:38 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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