Matthew 13 · Verse 11

Matthew 13:11

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Matthew 13:11, King James Version

Matthew 13:11 in other translations

BSB	He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
WEB	He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
ASV	And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
YLT	And he answering said to them that--‘To you it hath been given to know the secrets of the reign of the heavens, and to these it hath not been given,
DARBY	And he answering said to them, Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to them it is not given;
BBE	And he said to them in answer, To you is given the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Webster	He answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

What does Matthew 13:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven--The word "mysteries" in Scripture is not used in its classical sense--of religious secrets, nor yet of things incomprehensible, or in their own nature difficult to be understood--but in the sense of things of purely divine revelation, and, usually, things darkly announced under the ancient economy, and during all that period darkly understood, but fully published under the Gospel (1Co 2:6-10; Ep 3:3-6, 8, 9). "The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," then, mean those glorious Gospel truths which at that time only the more advanced disciples could appreciate, and they but partially. but to them it is not given--(See on Mt 11:25). Parables serve the double purpose of revealing and concealing; presenting "the mysteries of the kingdom" to those who know and relish them, though in never so small a degree, in a new and attractive light; but to those who are insensible to spiritual things yielding only, as so many tales, some temporary entertainment.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 11. The mysteries of the kingdom. The word mystery, in the Bible, properly means a thing that is concealed, or that has been concealed. It does not mean that the thing was incomprehensible, or even difficult to be understood. The thing might be plain enough if revealed, but it means simply that it had not been made known. Thus the mysteries of the kingdom do not mean any doctrines incomprehensible in themselves considered, but simply doctrines about the preaching of the gospel, and the establishment of the new kingdom of the Messiah which had not been understood, and which were as yet concealed from the great body of the Jews. See Rom 16:26, 11:25, Eph 3:3,4,9. Of this nature was the truth that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, that the Jewish polity was to cease, that the Messiah was to die, etc. To the disciples it was given to know these truths. It was important for them, as they were to carry the gospel around the globe. To the others it was not then given. They were too gross, too earthly; they had too grovelling conceptions of the Messiah's kingdom to understand these truths, even if presented. They were not to preach it, and hence our Saviour was at particular pains to instruct his apostles. The Pharisees, and Jews generally, were not prepared for it, and would not have believed it, and therefore he purposely employed a kind of teaching that they did not understand.

(a) "to know" Mt 11:25, Mk 4:11, 1Cor 2:10:14, Eph 1:9,18, 3:9 Col 1:26,27, 1Jn 2:27

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 It is given unto you to know the mysteries, etc. - By mysteries, here, we may understand not only things concerning the scheme of salvation, which had not yet been revealed; but also the prophetic declarations concerning the future state of the Christian Church, expressed in the ensuing parables. It is not given to them to know the purport and design of these things - they are gross of heart, earthly and sensual, and do not improve the light they have received: but to you it is given, because I have appointed you not only to be the first preachers of my Gospel to sinners, but also the persons who shall transmit accounts of all these things to posterity. The knowledge of these mysteries, in the first instance, can be given only to a few; but when these faithfully write and publish what they have heard and seen, unto the world, then the science of salvation is revealed and addressed to all. From Mat 13:17, we learn, that many prophets and righteous men had desired to see and hear these things, but had not that privilege - to them it was not given; not because God designed to exclude them from salvation, but because He who knew all things knew, either that they were not proper persons, or that that was not the proper time: for the choice of the Persons by whom, and the choice of the Time in which it is most proper to reveal Divine things, must ever rest with the all-wise God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 13:1-23

The parable of the tares. (24-30; 36-43) The parables of the mustard-seed and the leaven. (31-35) The parables of the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, the net cast into the sea, and the householder. (44-52) Jesus is again rejected at Nazareth. (53-58) Verses 1-23 Jesus entered into a boat that he might be the less pressed, and be the better heard by the people. By this he teaches us in the outward…

Read the full comment on Matthew 13:1-23 →

Matthew 13:11 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.

ὁho<the>G3588

δὲdeAndG1161

ἀποκριθεὶςapokritheisansweringG611

εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036

αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846

ὅτιhotiBecauseG3754

ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771

δέδοταιdedotaiit has been grantedG1325

γνῶναιgnōnaito knowG1097

τὰtatheG3588

μυστήριαmustēriamysteriesG3466

τῆςtēsof theG3588

βασιλείαςbasileiaskingdomG932

τῶνtōnof theG3588

οὐρανῶν,ouranōnheavens,G3772

ἐκείνοιςekeinoisto themG1565

δὲdehoweverG1161

οὐounotG3756

δέδοται.dedotaiit has been granted.G1325

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

Cross references for Matthew 13:11

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Matthew 19:11
But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
1 John 2:27
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
1 John 2:20
But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
Ephesians 5:32
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Colossians 1:26-27
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Ephesians 1:9
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
James 1:16-18
Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Matthew 16:17
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar–jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Romans 16:25
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Because.
11:25,26; 16:17; Ps 25:8,9,14; Isa 29:10; 35:8; Mr 4:11; Lu 8:10
Lu 10:39-42; Joh 7:17; Ac 16:14; 17:11,12; 1Co 2:9,10,14; 4:7
Jas 1:5,16-18; 1Jo 2:27
mysteries.
Ro 16:25; 1Co 2:7; 4:1; 13:2; 15:51; Eph 1:9,18; 3:3-9; 5:32; 6:19
Col 1:26,27; 2:2; 1Ti 3:9,16

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

Context

Matthew 13:10
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Matthew 13:11
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Matthew 13:12
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y él respondiendo, les dijo: Por que á vosotros es concedido saber los misterios del reino de los cielos; mas á ellos no es concedido.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et lui, répondant, leur dit: C’est parce qu’à vous il est donné de connaître les mystères du royaume des cieux; mais à eux, il n’est pas donné.
German Elberfelder 1871	Er aber antwortete und sprach zu ihnen: Weil euch gegeben ist, die Geheimnisse des Reiches der Himmel zu wissen, jenen aber ist es nicht gegeben;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Qui respondens, ait illis: Quia vobis datum est nosse mysteria regni cælorum: illis autem non est datum.