Limitless Word
Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for giving humans such authority.
Matthew 9:8 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
  • KJV But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
  • BSB When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
  • ESV When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
  • NKJV Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
  • NASB But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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

The crowds are filled with awe and glorify God for giving such authority to men. They rightly worship, though without fully grasping who Jesus is.

Overview

The people respond with reverent wonder, praising God that such authority has been granted among humanity. Their response is genuine yet incomplete, for the authority is not merely given to a man but belongs to the God-man, Jesus. Their praise nonetheless models the proper reaction to Christ's works, glorifying God.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 16

  • Luke 7:16Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!”
  • Matt 15:31so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, the injured healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing — and they glorified the God of Israel.
  • Acts 4:21When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.
  • Luke 17:15One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice.
  • Mark 2:12He arose, and immediately took up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
  • Luke 23:47When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.”
  • Luke 5:25–26Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.
  • John 15:8“In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples.
  • Gal 1:24And they glorified God in me.
  • Luke 13:13He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight, and glorified God.
  • Acts 11:18When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”
  • Matt 12:23All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”
  • Matt 5:16Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
  • Matt 28:18Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
  • Acts 21:20They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.
  • Mark 7:37They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear, and the mute speak!”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

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 9:8YouTube · 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 9:8 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.