Matthew 8:9

King James Version

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

King James Version (1611)
For I am a man vnder authority, hauing souldiers vnder me: and I say to this man, Goe, and he goeth: and to another, Come, and he commeth: and to my seruant, Doe this, and he doth it.

English Standard Version
For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,' and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,' and he does it."

New American Standard Bible
"For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."

New Century Version
I, too, am a man under the authority of others, and I have soldiers under my command. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,' and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,' and my servant does it.

Amplified Bible
"For I also am a man subject to authority [of a higher rank], with soldiers subject to me; and I say to one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."

Geneva Bible (1587)
For I am a man also vnder the authoritie of an other, and haue souldiers vnder me: and I say to one, Goe, and he goeth: and to another, Come, and he commeth: and to my seruant, Doe this, and he doeth it.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."

Legacy Standard Bible
For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this man, ‘Go!' and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!' and he does it."

Berean Standard Bible
For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it."

Contemporary English Version
I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!' and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!' and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!' and he will do it."

Complete Jewish Bible
For I too am a man under authority. I have soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!' and he goes; to another, ‘Come!' and he comes; to my slave, ‘Do this!' and he does it."

Darby Translation
For *I* also am a man under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say to this [one], Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my bondman, Do this, and he does it.

Easy-to-Read Version
I know this, because I understand authority. There are people who have authority over me, and I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,' and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,' and my servant obeys me."

George Lamsa Translation
For I am also a man in government service, and there are soldiers under my command; and I say to this one, Go, and he goes; and to the other, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.

Good News Translation
I, too, am a man under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, ‘Go!' and he goes; and I order that one, ‘Come!' and he comes; and I order my slave, ‘Do this!' and he does it."

Lexham English Bible
For I also am a man under authority who has soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!' and he goes, and to another one, ‘Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!' and he does it."

Literal Translation
For I am also a man under authority, having soldiers under myself. And I say to this one, Go; and he goes; and to another, Come; and he comes; and to my slave, Do this; and he does it .

American Standard Version
For I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

Bible in Basic English
Because I myself am a man under authority, having under me fighting men; and I say to this one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.

Hebrew Names Version
For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

International Standard Version
For I, too, am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. I say to one 'Go' and he goes, to another 'Come' and he comes, and to my servant 'Do this' and he does it."

Etheridge Translation
For I also am a man under authority, and under my hand there are soldiers. I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to the other, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth.

Murdock Translation
For I also am a man under authority, and there are soldiers under my hands, and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this thing, and he doeth [fn] .

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For I also my selfe am vnder aucthoritie, and haue souldiers vnder me: and I say to this man go, and he goeth: and to another, come, and he commeth: and to my seruaunt, do this, and he doth it.

English Revised Version
For I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

World English Bible
For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it.

Weymouth's New Testament
For I myself am also under authority, and have soldiers under me. To one I say `Go,' and he goes, to another `Come,' and he comes, and to my slave `Do this or that,' and he does it."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For whi Y am a man ordeyned vndur power, and haue knyytis vndir me; and Y seie to this, Go, and he goith; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my seruaunt, Do this, and he doith it.

Update Bible Version
For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my slave, Do this, and he does it.

Webster's Bible Translation
For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this [man], Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth [it].

New English Translation
For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go' and he goes, and to another ‘Come' and he comes, and to my slave ‘Do this' and he does it."

New King James Version
For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, "Go,' and he goes; and to another, "Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, "Do this,' and he does it."

New Living Translation
I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,' and they go, or ‘Come,' and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,' they do it."

New Life Bible
I am a man who works for someone else and I have men working under me. I say to this man, ‘Go!' and he goes. I say to another, ‘Come!' and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this!' and he does it."

New Revised Standard
For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,' and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,' and the slave does it."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, I also, am a man setunder authority, having under myself, soldiers, - and I say to this one, Go! and he goeth, and to another, Come! and he cometh, and, to my servant, Do this! and he doeth it.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

Revised Standard Version
For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For I also my selfe am a man vndre power and have sowdiers vndre me and I saye to one go and he goeth and to anothre come and he cometh: and to my seruaut do this and he doeth it.

Young's Literal Translation
for I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers, and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Be coming, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doth [it].'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For I myselfe also am a ma subiect to ye auctorite of another, & haue sowdiers vnder me. Yet wha I saye to one: go, he goeth, and to another: come, he commeth: & to my seruaunt: do this, he doeth it.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for I am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command: I bid this man, go, and he's gone: another, come, and he's here: and to my servant, do this, and it is done.

Simplified Cowboy Version
I know this because I do what my boss tells me to and my cowboys who ride for me do what I tell them to. If I give 'em word to ride hard west, they do it. If I give 'em word to come back, they do it."

Contextual Overview

⁵ And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, ⁶ And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. ⁷ And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. ⁸ The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. ⁹ For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. ¹⁰ When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. ¹¹ And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. ¹² But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ¹³ And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Go: Job 38:34, Job 38:35, Psalms 107:25-29, Psalms 119:91, Psalms 148:8, Jeremiah 47:6, Jeremiah 47:7, Ezekiel 14:17-21, Mark 4:39-41, Luke 4:35, Luke 4:36, Luke 4:39, Luke 7:8

Do: Ephesians 6:5, Ephesians 6:6, Colossians 3:22, Titus 2:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 8:2 - the rain Psalms 105:16 - Moreover Psalms 147:15 - sendeth Jonah 2:10 - General Matthew 9:18 - come Mark 7:29 - General Mark 9:22 - if Mark 14:13 - Go Luke 5:12 - if John 4:53 - at the John 12:21 - we would Acts 10:7 - and a Acts 23:17 - one

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 28:65
And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:

Psalms 116:7
Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

Isaiah 60:8
Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

Ezekiel 7:16
But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.

Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I am a man under authority,.... Of Caesar the Roman emperor, and of superior officers under him, as a tribune, c.

having soldiers under me an hundred of them at least, for military service, and some of them were used by him as his domestics:

and I say unto this man go, and he goeth, and to another come, and he cometh: for there is no disputing the commands of officers, by soldiers, in anything, in exercises, marches, battles, c.

and to my servant, that was more properly his domestic servant, who waited upon him, and did those things for him which every soldier under him was not employed in,

do this, and he doth it immediately, without any more ado; as indeed a servant ought. The Jews l have a saying, that

"a servant over whom his master אין רשות, "hath no power", is not called a servant.''

Now, these words are not a reason excusing Christ's coming to his house, or showing how unworthy it was, and how unfit it would be for him to come thither, since he was a man that held soldiers under him, and his house was encumbered with them; for these were not with him, but quartered out elsewhere: but they are an argument, from the lesser to the greater, that seeing he was a man, and Christ was God, he was under the authority of others. Christ was subject to none; and yet he had such power over his soldiers and servants, that if he bid one go, and another come, or ordered them to stand in such a place, and in such a posture, or do this and the other servile work, his orders were immediately obeyed: how much more easily then could Christ, who had all power in heaven and in earth, command off this distemper his servant was afflicted with? He suggests, that as his soldiers were under him, and at his command; so all bodily diseases were under Christ, and to be controlled by him, at his pleasure; and that, if he would but say to that servant of his, the palsy, remove, it would remove at once.

l T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 72. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I am a man ... - He had full confidence in the ability of Jesus to heal his servant, and requested him simply to give the command. This request he presented in a manner appropriate to a soldier. I am a man, says he, under authority. That is, I am subject to the commands of others, and know how to obey. I have also under me soldiers who are accustomed to obedience. I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes. I am “prepared,” therefore, to believe that your commands will be obeyed. As these obey me, so do diseases, storms, and seas obey you. If men obey me, who am an “inferior” officer, subject to another, how much more shall diseases obey you - the original source of power having control over all things! He asked, therefore, simply that Christ would give commandment, and he felt assured he would be obeyed.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 8:9. For I am a man under authority — That is, under the authority of others. This verse has given considerable embarrassment to commentators and critics. I believe the paraphrase given above to be the true meaning of the evangelist. To make this matter more plain, let it be observed, that the Roman foot was divided into three grand parts, Hastati, Principes, and Triarii. Each of these grand divisions was composed of thirty manipuli or companies; and every manipulus made two centuries or companies of one hundred men. Every manipulus had two centurions; but these were very far from being equal in rank and honour, though possessing the very same office. The Triarii and Principes were esteemed the most honourable, and had their centurions elected first; and these first elected centurions took precedency of the centurions of the Hastati, who were elected last. The centurion in the text was probably one of this last order; he was under the authority of either the Principes or Triarii, and had none under him but the hundred men whom he commanded, and who appear to have been in a state of the most loving subjection to him. The argument of the centurion seems to run thus. If I, who am a person subject to the control of others, yet have some so completely subject to myself, that I can say to one, Come, and he cometh, to another, Go, and he goeth, and to my slave (τω δουλω μου) Do this, and he doeth it; how much more then canst thou accomplish whatsoever thou willest, being under no control, and having all things under thy command: He makes a proper use of his authority, who, by it, raises his mind to the contemplation of the sovereign power of God, taking occasion from it to humble himself before Him who has all power in heaven and earth, and to expect all good from him.

There are two beautiful passages in Arrian that tend much to illustrate this speech of the centurion.

Καταταγεις Αγαμεμνων, λεγει μοι, πορευου προς τον Αχιλλεα, και αποσπασον την Βρισηιδα, πορευομαι. Ερχου, ερχομαι.

"He who personates Agamemnon says to me, Go to Achilles, and bring hither Briseis: I go. He says, Come hither: I come." Dissert. l. i. c. 25. p. 97.

Οταν ο Θεος ειπῃ τοις φυτοις ανθειν, ανθει. Οταν ειπῃ βλαϚανειν, βλαϚανει. Οταν εκφερειν τον καρπον, εκφερει. Οταν πεπαινειν, πεπαινει. Οταν παλιν αποβαλλειν, και φυλλορροειν, και αυτα εις αυτα συνειλουμενα εφ' ησυχιας μενειν, και αναπαυεσθαι, μενει και αναπαυεται.

"When God commands the plants to blossom, they bear blossoms. When he commands them to bear seed, they bear seed. When he commands them to bring forth fruit, they put forth their fruits. When he commands them to ripen, they grow ripe. When he commands them to fade, and shed their leaves, and remain inactive, involved in themselves, they thus remain, and are inactive." Cap. 14. p. 62. See Raphelius.

This mode of speech fully marks supreme and uncontrolled power, and that power put forth by a sovereign will to effect any purpose of justice or mercy. And God said, let there be light, and there was light, is a similar expression.