Matthew 10 · Verse 37

Matthew 10:37

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 10:37, King James Version

Matthew 10:37 in other translations

BSBAnyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;
WEBHe who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
ASVHe that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
YLT‘He who is loving father or mother above me, is not worthy of me, and he who is loving son or daughter above me, is not worthy of me,
DARBYHe who loves father or mother above me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter above me is not worthy of me.
BBEHe who has more love for his father or mother than for me is not good enough for me; he who has more love for son or daughter than for me is not good enough for me.
WebsterHe that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.

What does Matthew 10:37 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
37. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me--(Compare De 33:9). As the preference of the one would, in the case supposed, necessitate the abandonment of the other, our Lord here, with a sublime, yet awful self-respect, asserts His own claims to supreme affection.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 37. He that loveth father or mother, etc. The meaning of this is clear. Christ must be loved supremely, or he is not loved at all. If we are not willing to give up all earthly possessions, and forsake all earthly friends; and if we do not obey him rather than all others, we have no true attachment to him.

Is not worthy of me. Is not fit to be regarded as a follower of me; or is not a Christian.

(z) "He that loveth" Lk 14:26

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me - He whom we love the most is he whom we study most to please, and whose will and interests we prefer in all cases. If, in order to please a father or mother who are opposed to vital godliness, we abandon God's ordinances and followers, we are unworthy of any thing but hell.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 10:16-42

Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddling with worldly or political concerns, all appearance of evil or selfishness, and all underhand measures. Christ foretold troubles, not only that the troubles might not be a surprise, but that they might confirm their faith. He tells them what they should suffer, and from whom…

Read the full comment on Matthew 10:16-42 →

Matthew 10:37 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὉHoThe [one]G3588
φιλῶνphilōnlovingG5368
πατέραpaterafatherG3962
ἢēorG2228
μητέραmēteramotherG3384
ὑπὲρhuperaboveG5228
ἐμὲemeMe myselfG1473
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
μουmouof MeG3165
ἄξιος,axiosworthy,G514
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhothe [one]G3588
φιλῶνphilōnlovingG5368
υἱὸνhuionsonG5207
ἢēorG2228
θυγατέραthugateradaughterG2364
ὑπὲρhuperaboveG5228
ἐμὲemeMe myselfG1473
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
μουmouof MeG3165
ἄξιος·axiosworthy;G514

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 10:37

  • Luke 14:26

    If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

  • Matthew 22:37

    Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

  • Philippians 3:7-9

    But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

  • 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

    For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

  • Deuteronomy 33:9

    Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.

  • John 21:15-17

    So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

  • Luke 21:36

    Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

  • Matthew 22:8

    Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

  • 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7

    Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

  • John 5:23

    That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

  • Luke 20:35

    But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that loveth father.
22:37; De 33:9; Lu 14:26; Joh 5:23; 21:15-17; 2Co 5:14,15
Php 3:7-9
not.
22:8; Lu 20:35; 21:36; 2Th 1:5-7; Re 3:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 10:36

    And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

  • Matthew 10:37

    He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

  • Matthew 10:38

    And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Read all of Matthew 10

Matthew 10:37 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
El que ama padre ó madre más que á mí, no es digno de mí; y el que ama hijo ó hija más que á mí, no es digno de mí.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Celui qui aime père ou mère plus que moi, n’est pas digne de moi; et celui qui aime fils ou fille plus que moi, n’est pas digne de moi;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wer Vater oder Mutter mehr liebt als mich, ist meiner nicht würdig; und wer Sohn oder Tochter mehr liebt als mich, ist meiner nicht würdig;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Qui amat patrem aut matrem plus quam me, non est me dignus: et qui amat filium aut filiam super me, non est me dignus.