Matthew 13:17

Amplified Bible

"I assure you and most solemnly say to you, many prophets and righteous men [who were honorable and in right standing with God] longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but didn’t see them, to hear the things you hear but didn’t hear them.

King James Version (1611)
For verely I say vnto you, that many Prophets, and righteous men haue desired to see those things which yee see, and haue not seene them: and to heare those things which ye heare, and haue not heard them.

King James Version
For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

English Standard Version
For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

New American Standard Bible
"For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

New Century Version
I tell you the truth, many prophets and good people wanted to see the things that you now see, but they did not see them. And they wanted to hear the things that you now hear, but they did not hear them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For verely I say vnto you, that many Prophets, & righteous men haue desired to see those things which ye see, & haue not seene them, & to heare those things which ye heare, and haue not heard them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Legacy Standard Bible
For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Berean Standard Bible
For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Contemporary English Version
Many prophets and good people were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you that they did not see or hear.

Complete Jewish Bible
Yes indeed! I tell you that many a prophet and many a tzaddik longed to see the things you are seeing but did not see them, and to hear the things you are hearing but did not hear them.

Darby Translation
for verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous [men] have desired to see the things which ye behold and did not see [them], and to hear the things which ye hear and did not hear [them].

Easy-to-Read Version
I can assure you, many prophets and godly people wanted to see what you now see. But they did not see it. And many prophets and godly people wanted to hear what you now hear. But they did not hear it.

George Lamsa Translation
For truly I say to you, a great many prophets and righteous men have longed to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Good News Translation
I assure you that many prophets and many of God's people wanted very much to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not.

Lexham English Bible
For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it!

Literal Translation
For truly I tell you that many prophets and righteous ones desired to see what you see and did not see, and to hear what you hear and did not hear.

American Standard Version
For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.

Bible in Basic English
For truly, I say to you that prophets and upright men had a desire to see the things which you see, and saw them not; and to have knowledge of the words which have come to your ears, and they had it not.

Hebrew Names Version
For most assuredly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them.

International Standard Version
For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but did not see them, and to hear the things you hear but did not hear them."Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 1:10-11;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
for, Amen I say unto you, that many prophets and just ones have desired to behold what you see, and have not beheld, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard.

Murdock Translation
For verily I say to you, That many prophets and righteous [fn] longed to see what ye see, and did not see [fn] ; and to hear what ye hear, and did not hear [fn] .

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ueryly I say vnto you, that many prophetes and ryghteous men haue desired to see those thynges which ye see, and haue not seene: and to heare those thynges which ye heare, and haue not hearde.

English Revised Version
For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.

World English Bible
For most assuredly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For verily I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Weymouth's New Testament
For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Y seie to you, that manye profetis and iust men coueitiden to se tho thingis that ye seen, and thei sayn not, and to heere tho thingis that ye heren, and thei herden not.

Update Bible Version
For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and did not see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.

Webster's Bible Translation
For verily I say to you, That many prophets and righteous [men] have desired to see [the things] which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear [the things] which ye hear, and have not heard [them].

New English Translation
For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

New King James Version
for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

New Living Translation
I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it.

New Life Bible
For sure, I tell you, that many early preachers and men right with God have wanted to see the things you see, but they did not see them. They wanted to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear them.

New Revised Standard
Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, verily, I say unto you - Many prophets and righteous men, have coveted to see what ye see, and have not seen, and to hear what ye hear, and have not heard.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them: and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them.

Revised Standard Version
Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Verely I say vnto you that many Prophetes and perfaicte me have desired to se tho thinges which ye se and have not sene the: and to heare tho thinges which ye heare and have not herde the.

Young's Literal Translation
for verily I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men did desire to see that which ye look on, and they did not see, and to hear that which ye hear, and they did not hear.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Verely I saye vnto you: Many prophetes & righteous men haue desyred to se ye thinges that ye se, and haue not sene the: and to heare the thinges that ye heare, and haue not herde the.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for I declare unto you, that many prophets and just men have desired to see what ye see, and have not seen it: and to hear what ye hear, and have not heard it.

Simplified Cowboy Version
I'm tellin' you, many a cowboy wished to see what you've seen and hear what you've heard, but they could not.

Contextual Overview

¹That same day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting beside the sea [of Galilee]. ²But such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat there [positioning Himself as a teacher], while the whole crowd stood on the shore. ³He told them many things in parables, saying, "Listen carefully: a sower went out to sow [seed in his field]; ⁴and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road [between the fields], and the birds came and ate it. ⁵"Other seed fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil. ⁶"But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷"Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out. ⁸"Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty. ⁹"He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words." ¹⁰Then the disciples came to Him and asked, "Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

That many: Luke 10:24, John 8:56, Ephesians 3:5, Ephesians 3:6, Hebrews 11:13, Hebrews 11:39, Hebrews 11:40, 1 Peter 1:10-12

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 5:3 - General Job 28:21 - hid Song of Solomon 8:1 - that thou Matthew 5:18 - verily Matthew 16:17 - Blessed Luke 7:28 - but Luke 10:23 - Blessed Romans 16:25 - which 1 Peter 3:10 - see

Cross-References

Genesis 13:15
for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever.

Genesis 13:17
"Arise, walk (make a thorough reconnaissance) around in the land, through its length and its width, for I will give it to you."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For verily I say unto you,.... This is added for the further confirmation of what is before said, concerning the happiness of the disciples, in seeing and hearing what they did:

that many prophets, and righteous men; Luke says, Luke 10:24 "kings"

have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. To see Christ in the flesh, and have a clearer insight into the knowledge of the mysteries of grace, were things very desirable to men of the highest class in church and state, and of the best characters, such as Abraham, John 8:56. Jacob, Genesis 49:18. David, Psalms 14:7. Solomon, and the church in his time, Song of Solomon 8:1. Isaiah, and the saints with him, Isaiah 25:9 with many others. These indeed had a sight of Christ, but a very distant one; they saw him afar off in the promises and prophecies of him; and not very clearly, but through dark types and cloudy sacrifices; whereas the disciples saw him in person, heard him preach, took in the evidence of his miracles, and felt the power of his doctrines, and spiritually and savingly understood them. A way of speaking, somewhat like this, stands in the Talmud p;

"Many have watched to expound in Mercavah (the beginning of Ezekiel's prophecy), ולא ראו אותה מימיהם, "and have not seen it all their days".''

p T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 24. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Christ, in these verses, gives a “reason” why he used this manner of instruction. See also Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10.

Matthew 13:11

The mysteries of the kingdom - The word “mystery,” in the Bible, properly means a thing that is “concealed,” or that “has been concealed.” It does not mean that the thing was “incomprehensible,” or even difficult to be understood.

The thing might be “plain” enough if revealed, but it means simply that it “had” not been before made known. Thus the “mysteries of the kingdom” do not mean any doctrines incomprehensible in themselves considered, but simply doctrines about the preaching of the gospel and the establishment of the new kingdom of the Messiah, which “had not” been understood, and which were as yet concealed from the great body of the Jews. See Romans 16:25; Romans 11:25; Ephesians 3:3-4, Ephesians 3:9. Of this nature was the truth that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles; that the Jewish polity was to cease; that the Messiah was to die, etc. To the disciples it was given to know these truths. This was important for them, as they were to carry the gospel around the globe. To the others it was not “then” given. They were too gross, too earthly; they had too, grovelling conceptions of the Messiah’s kingdom to understand these truths, even if communicated to them. They were not to preach the gospel, and hence our Saviour was at particular pains to instruct his apostles in the system which they were to preach. The Pharisees, and Jews generally, were not prepared to receive the system, and would not have believed it, and therefore he purposely employed a kind of teaching which was intended for his apostles only.

Matthew 13:12

Whosoever hath ... - This is a proverbial method of speaking.

It means that a man who improves what light, grace, and opportunities he has, shall have them increased. From him that improves them not, it is proper that they should be taken away. The Jews had many opportunities of learning the truth, and some light still lingered among them; but they were gross and sensual, and misimproved them, and it was a just judgment that they should be deprived of them. Superior knowledge was given to the disciples of Christ: they improved it, however slowly, and the promise was that it should be greatly increased.

Matthew 13:13

Because they seeing, see not - Mark Mark 4:12 and Luke Luke 8:10 say, “That seeing, they may not see etc.;” but there is no difference.

Matthew simply states the “fact,” that though they saw the “natural” meaning of the story - though they literally understood the parable - yet they did not understand its “spiritual” signification. Mark and Luke do not state the “fact,” but affirm that he spoke with this “intention” - implying that such “was” the result. Nor was there any dishonesty in this, or any unfair disguise. He had truths to state which he wished his “disciples particularly” to understand. They were of great importance to their ministry. Had he clearly and fully stated them to the Jews, they would have taken his life long before they did. He therefore chose to state the doctrines so that if their hearts had been right, and if they had not been malignant and blind, “they might have understood them.” His doctrines he stated in the best possible way, and it was not his fault if they did not understand him. By little and little, in this way, he prepared many even of the Jews to receive the truth; by the only possible way of ever gaining access to their minds. It was, moreover, entirely proper and right to impart instruction to his disciples which he did not “intend” for others.

Matthew 13:14

And in them is fulfilled ... - This place is quoted substantially from Isaiah 6:9-10. It was literally fulfilled in the time of Isaiah. In the time of Christ the people had the same character. Like them, they closed their eyes upon the truth, and rejected the divine teaching. The words of Isaiah were therefore “as well fitted” to express the character of the people in the time of Christ as in that of the prophet. In this sense they were “fulfilled,” or “filled up;” that is, “a case occurred that corresponded to their meaning.” See the notes at Matthew 1:22. It is not by any means intended that Isaiah, when he spoke these words, had any reference to the time of Christ. The meaning in both places is, that the people were so gross, sensual, and prejudiced, that they “would” not see the truth, or understand anything that was contrary to their grovelling opinions and sensual desires; a case by no means uncommon in the world. See the passage more fully explained in my notes at Isaiah 6:0.

Waxed gross - Literally, “has become fat.” This language is commonly applied to “the body,” but is also used to denote one who is stupid and foolish in mind. Here it means that the people were so sensual and corrupt that they did not see or understand the pure spiritual principles of the gospel.

Lest they should see ... - Lest they should see their lost condition as sinners, and turn and live. The reason given here why they did not hear and understand the gospel is, that their “heart” was “wrong.” They “would” not attend to the things that belonged to their peace.

I should heal them - Should pardon, sanctify, and save them. Sin is often represented as a disease, and the pardon and recovery of the soul from sin as “healing.”

Matthew 13:16

Blessed are your eyes ... - That is, you are happy that you are permitted to see truth which they will not see.

You are permitted to understand the spiritual meaning of the parables, and in some degree the plan of salvation.

Matthew 13:17

Many prophets and righteous men ... - They wished to see the times of the Messiah.

They looked to it as a time when the hopes of the world would be fulfilled, and when the righteous would be happy, John 8:56. “Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.” Compare also 1 Peter 1:10-12; Hebrews 11:13. So Isaiah and the prophets looked forward to the coming of the Messiah as the consummation of their wishes and the end of the prophecies, Revelation 19:10. The object always dearest to the hearts of all righteous people is to witness the coming and advancement of the kingdom of Christ. Compare Revelation 22:20.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 13:17. Many prophets and righteous men] These lived by and died in the faith of the promised Messiah: the fulness of the time was not then come for his manifestation in the flesh. See also on Matthew 13:11.