MAT 8:22 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But Jesus says to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

UST Jesus responded, “Come with me and be my apprentice now. You cannot help anyone who has died.”

BLB But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

AICNT But {Jesus}[fn] {says}[fn] to him, “Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead.”

8:22, Jesus Some manuscripts read “he.” ℵ(01)

8:22, says: ℵ(01) B(03) C(04) NA28 SBLGNT THGNT ‖ Some manuscripts read “said.” W(032) BYZ TR

OEB But Jesus answered, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead.’

WEBBE But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

WMBB But Yeshua said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

NET But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

LSV and Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and permit the dead to bury their own dead.”

FBV “Follow me. Leave the dead to bury their own dead,” Jesus replied.

TCNT But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

T4T But Jesus said to him, “Come with me now. God considers that people who do not have eternal life are dead [MET]. Let those people do the work of burying people who die.”

LEB But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead!”

BBE But Jesus said to him, Come after me; and let the dead take care of their dead.

Moff Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

Wymth "Follow me," said Jesus, "and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

ASV But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead.

DRA But Jesus said to him: Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.

YLT and Jesus said to him, 'Follow me, and suffer the dead to bury their own dead.'

Drby But Jesus said to him, Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.

RV But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
(But Jesus saith/says unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead. )

SLT But Jesus said to him, Follow me; and let the dead inter the dead.

Wbstr But Jesus said to him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

KJB-1769 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

KJB-1611 But Iesus said vnto him, Follow me, & let the dead, bury their dead.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps But Iesus sayde vnto hym: Folowe me, and let the dead bury theyr dead.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Gnva But Iesus said vnto him, Followe me, and let the dead burie their dead.
(But Yesus/Yeshua said unto him, Followe me, and let the dead bury their dead. )

Cvdl But Iesus sayde vnto him: folowe thou me, and let the deed burie their deed.
(But Yesus/Yeshua said unto him: follow thou/you me, and let the deed bury their deed.)

TNT But Iesus sayd vnto him: folowe me and let the deed burie their deed.
(But Yesus/Yeshua said unto him: follow me and let the deed bury their deed. )

Wycl But Jhesus seide to hym, Sue thou me, and lete deed men birie her deede men.
(But Yhesus said to him, Pursue thou/you me, and let dead men bury her deed men.)

Luth Aber JEsus sprach zu ihm: Folge du mir und laß die Toten ihre Toten begraben!
(But Yesus spoke to/for him: Folge you(sg) to_me and let the killing(n) their/her killing(n) buried!)

ClVg Jesus autem ait illi: Sequere me, et dimitte mortuos sepelire mortuos suos.[fn]
(Yesus however he_said them: Sequere me, and let_go the_dead sepelire the_dead his_own. )

8.22 Mortuos suos. Qui culpa exierunt, ut ipsi cum culpa vivunt. Mortuos sepelire, est peccatores in peccato fovere.

8.22 Mortuos his_own. Who guilt they_went_out, as themselves when/with guilt they_live. Mortuos sepelire, it_is sinners in/into/on sin fovere.

UGNT ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ, ἀκολούθει μοι καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.
(ho de Yaʸsous legei autōi, akolouthei moi kai afes tous nekrous thapsai tous heautōn nekrous.)

SBL-GNT ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ⸀λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἀκολούθει μοι, καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.
(ho de Yaʸsous ⸀legei autōi; Akolouthei moi, kai afes tous nekrous thapsai tous heautōn nekrous.)

RP-GNT Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ἀκολούθει μοι, καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.
(Ho de Yaʸsous eipen autōi, Akolouthei moi, kai afes tous nekrous thapsai tous heautōn nekrous.)

TC-GNT Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς [fn]εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ἀκολούθει μοι, καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.
(Ho de Yaʸsous eipen autōi, Akolouthei moi, kai afes tous nekrous thapsai tous heautōn nekrous. )

8:22 ειπεν ¦ λεγει CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:18–22: The cost of following Jesus

In this section two people told Jesus they wanted to follow him. He replied with two sayings that indicate that being his disciple is difficult.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

To follow Jesus is difficult/hard

Two people who wanted to follow Jesus

8:22a

But Jesus told him,

But Jesus said to him,
But Jesus replied to him,

But Jesus told him: There is a contrast between the way we might expect Jesus to respond to the man, and the way Jesus actually responded. The BSB and some English versions indicate this contrast with the word But.

8:22b

“Follow Me,

“Follow me now.
“Come with me and become my disciple.

Follow Me: Here Jesus used the word Follow in both a literal and spiritual sense. He commanded the man to go with him, and he commanded the man to become his disciple.

In 8:21a, this man is already called one of Jesus’ disciples. The people who followed Jesus had varying degrees of seriousness or commitment. So here Jesus was probably telling the man to become a committed disciple.

Here are some other ways to translate this command:

Follow me and become my disciple

Come with me and be my true disciple

The command Follow Me probably implies that Jesus commanded the man to follow him immediately, not in the future. In some languages, it may be good to make this explicit. For example:

Follow me now. (NLT)

8:22c

and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Allow dead people to bury their own dead people.”
Allow the people who are as if dead bury their own kind when they are dead.”

let the dead bury their own dead: This saying is like a proverb. It is short, and its meaning is not immediately obvious. One thing that makes it difficult is that the word dead is used in two different senses.

The first time dead occurs, it is used in a spiritual sense. It refers to people who are spiritually dead. They are people who do not know God. The second time dead occurs, it is used in its normal sense. It refers to physically dead people. So Jesus said that spiritually dead people should bury those who are physically dead.

In Jewish culture, it was very important for a son to properly bury his father. So Jesus’ statement would have shocked this man. Jesus used this statement to tell the man that he should not allow burial customs (or other customs) to hinder him from following the Lord.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Translate it literally and keep the saying like a proverb. For example:
let the people who are dead bury their own dead (NCV) If you follow this option, it may be helpful to add a footnote. Here are some sample footnotes:
The first word “dead” refers to people who do not follow Jesus. They are “dead” to the kingdom of God. They can take the time to bury dead people. Jesus used this saying to tell the man that his customs, such as burial customs, must not hinder him from following Jesus.
Explain the meaning in the text. For example:
Leave those who are like dead people to bury those who have died.
Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead. (NLT)
Let the people who do not believe in me bury their own kind when they are dead.

their own dead: The phrase their own dead would normally refer to people from their own families. However, in this context it may refer more specifically to people who are spiritually dead like them. When such people die physically and need to be buried, others who are spiritually dead should bury them.

Here is another way to translate this:

their own kind when they are dead

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-tense

λέγει

˓is˒_saying

To call attention to a development in the story, Matthew uses the present tense in past narration. If it would not be natural to do that in your language, you could use the past tense in your translation. Alternate translation: [said]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς

leave (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ Ἀκολούθει μοί καί ἄφες τούς νεκρούς θάψαι τούς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς)

Here, the phrase the dead could refer to: (1) people who have already died. In this case, Jesus is stating that dead people will take care of other dead people. What he means is that living people should not be concerned about those who have died. Alternate translation: [let the dead take care of themselves] or [do not concern yourself with the dead] (2) people who are spiritually dead. In this case, Jesus is saying that only people who are spiritually dead should care more about burying their dead than following him. Alternate translation: [let the spiritually dead bury their own dead]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

τοὺς νεκροὺς & τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ Ἀκολούθει μοί καί ἄφες τούς νεκρούς θάψαι τούς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς)

Jesus is using the adjective dead as a noun to mean dead people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [the dead humans … their own dead humans]

Parallel MAT 8:22

Section 8:18–22: The cost of following Jesus

8:22a

8:22b

8:22c