Matthew 12 · Verse 30

Matthew 12:30

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Matthew 12:30, King James Version

Matthew 12:30 in other translations

BSBHe who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
WEB“He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.
ASVHe that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
YLT‘He who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me, doth scatter.
DARBYHe that is not with me is against me, and he that gathers not with me scatters.
BBEWhoever is not with me is against me; and he who does not take part with me in getting people together, is driving them away.
WebsterHe that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad.

What does Matthew 12:30 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
30. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad--On this important parable, in connection with the corresponding one (Mt 12:43-45), see on Lu 11:21-26.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 30. He that is not with me, etc. In addition to his other arguments, he urges this general principle that there could be but two parties in the universe. If any one did not act with him, he was against him. If he gathered not with him, he scattered. This is taken from the practice of persons in harvest, he that did not gather with him, or aid him, scattered abroad, or opposed him. The application of this was, "As I have not united with Satan, but opposed him, there can be no league between us." The charge, therefore, is a false one.

(b) "against me" 1Jn 2:19

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 30 He that is not with me is against me - In vain do men seek for methods to reconcile God and mammon. There is no medium between loving the Lord and being his enemy - between belonging to Christ or to Satan. If we be on the side of the devil, we must expect to go to the devil's hell; if we be on the side of Christ, we may expect to go to his heaven. When Christ, his truth, and his servants are assaulted, he who does not espouse their cause is not on Christ's side, but incurs the guilt of deserting and betraying him. There are many, (it is to be feared), in the world who are really against Christ, and scatter abroad, who flatter themselves that they are workers together with him, and of the number of his friends! Scattereth abroad - This seems to have been a proverbial form of speech, and may be a metaphor taken from shepherds. He who does not help the true shepherd to gather his flock into the fold is, most likely, one who wishes to scatter them, that he may have the opportunity of stealing and destroying them. I do not find any parallel to this proverbial mode of speech in the Jewish rabbins, if it be one, nor have I met with it among the Greek or Roman writers.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 12:22-30

A soul under Satan's power, and led captive by him, is blind in the things of God, and dumb at the throne of grace; sees nothing, and says nothing to the purpose. Satan blinds the eyes by unbelief, and seals up the lips from prayer. The more people magnified Christ, the more desirous the Pharisees were to vilify him. It was evident that if Satan aided Jesus in casting out devils, the kingdom of hell was divided…

Read the full comment on Matthew 12:22-30 →

Matthew 12:30 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
μὴmēnotG3361
ὢνōnbeingG1510
μετ᾽met᾽withG3326
ἐμοῦemouMeG1473
κατ᾽kat᾽againstG2596
ἐμοῦemouMeG1473
ἐστιν,estinis,G1510
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhothe [one]G3588
μὴmēnotG3361
συνάγωνsunagōngatheringG4863
μετ᾽met᾽withG3326
ἐμοῦemouMeG1473
σκορπίζει.skorpizeiscatters.G4650

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

Cross references for Matthew 12:30

  • Mark 9:40

    For he that is not against us is on our part.

  • Luke 11:23

    He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

  • Joshua 24:15

    And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

  • Luke 9:50

    And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

  • 1 John 2:19

    They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

  • Matthew 6:24

    No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:15-16

    And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

  • Revelation 3:15-16

    I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

  • 1 Chronicles 12:17-18

    And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

  • Joshua 5:13

    And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that is.
6:24; Jos 5:13; 24:15; 1Ch 12:17,18; Mr 9:40; Lu 9:50; 11:23
2Co 6:15,16; 1Jo 2:19; Re 3:15,16
gathereth.
Ge 49:10; Ho 1:11; Joh 11:52

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

Context

  • Matthew 12:29

    Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

  • Matthew 12:30

    He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

  • Matthew 12:31

    Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Read all of Matthew 12

Matthew 12:30 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El que no es conmigo, contra mí es; y el que conmigo no recoge, derrama.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Celui qui n’est pas avec moi, est contre moi; et celui qui n’assemble pas avec moi, disperse.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wer nicht mit mir ist, ist wider mich, und wer nicht mit mir sammelt, zerstreut.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui non est mecum, contra me est; et qui non congregat mecum, spargit.