Matthew 13:47
in Matthew 13Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
KJV
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
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This verse in Matthew 13
Commentary
5 notes on this verseIn fulfilment of that prophecy of Hieremias, who said, I will send unto you many fishers, (Jer. 6:16.) when Peter and Andrew, James and John, heard the words, Follow me, I will make you fishers of men, they put together a net for themselves formed of the Old and New Testaments, and cast it into the sea of this world, and that remains spread until this day, taking up out of the salt and bitter and whirlpools whatever falls into it, that is good men and bad; and this is that He adds, And gathered of every kind.
This site's exposition
cast into the sea
on Matthew 13:47-48
A net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind pictures the dragnet fishing common on Galilee, a net weighted to sweep the lake bottom and haul in whatever it meets, useless and edible fish alike. They drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away names a sorting that happens only once the catch is landed, not while the net is still being drawn.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net ... - This parable does not differ in meaning from that of the tares. The gospel is compared to a net dragging along on the bottom of a lake, and collecting all - good and bad. The gospel may be expected to do the same; but in the end of the world, when the net “is drawn in,” the bad will be separated from the good; the one will be cast away, and the other saved.
on Matthew 13:44-50
The parables of the “treasure hidden in a field” and the “merchant man seeking goodly pearls,” appear intended to convey one the same lesson. They vary, no doubt, in one striking particular: the “treasure” was found of one who does not seem to have sought it; the “pearl” was found of one who was actually seeking pearls. But the conduct of the finders, in both cases, was precisely alike: both “sold all” to make the thing found their own property; and it is exactly at this point that the instruction of both parables agrees.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind--The word here rendered "net" signifies a large drag-net, which draws everything after it, suffering nothing to escape, as distinguished from a casting-net (Mr 1:16, 18). The far-reaching efficacy of the Gospel is thus denoted.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Πάλιν | palin | Again | G3825 → | 139 times |
| ὁμοία | homoia | like | G3664 → | 45 times |
| ἐστὶν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλεία | basileia | kingdom | G932 → | 162 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανῶν | ouranon | heavens | G3772 → | 272 times |
| σαγήνῃ | sagene | to a dragnet | G4522 → | |
| βληθείσῃ | bletheise | having been cast | G906 → | 121 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θάλασσαν | thalassan | sea | G2281 → | 90 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐκ | ek | of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| παντὸς | pantos | every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| γένους | genous | kind | G1085 → | |
| συναγαγούσῃ, | sunagagouse | having gathered together, | G4863 → | 59 times |
ΠάλινAgain
palinG3825 →139 times
ὁμοίαlike
homoiaG3664 →45 times
ἐστὶνis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
βασιλείαkingdom
basileiaG932 →162 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανῶνheavens
ouranonG3772 →272 times
σαγήνῃto a dragnet
sageneG4522 →
βληθείσῃhaving been cast
bletheiseG906 →121 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
θάλασσανsea
thalassanG2281 →90 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐκof
ekG1537 →911 times
παντὸςevery
pantosG3956 →1235 times
γένουςkind
genousG1085 →
συναγαγούσῃ,having gathered together,
sunagagouseG4863 →59 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 15:6If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
it leads to
- Matthew 7:19
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
- Hebrews 6:7–8
For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.
- Matthew 13:41
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.
- John 15:2
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
- Matthew 3:10
The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
- Matthew 7:19
Through
Mark 1:17“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
it leads to
- Luke 5:10
and so were his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to Simon. “From now on you will catch men.”
- Matthew 4:19–20
“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
- Acts 2:38–41
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Luke 5:10
Where this verse is studied
About Matthew
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament.