Matthew 13 · Verse 23

Matthew 13:23

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Matthew 13:23, King James Version

Matthew 13:23 in other translations

BSB	But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”
WEB	What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”
ASV	And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
YLT	‘And that sown on the good ground: this is he who is hearing the word, and is understanding, who indeed doth bear fruit, and doth make, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty.'
DARBY	But he that is sown upon the good ground — this is he who hears and understands the word, who bears fruit also, and produces, one a hundred, one sixty, and one thirty.
BBE	And the seed which was put in good earth, this is he who gives ear to the word, and gets the sense of it; who gives fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times as much.
Webster	But he that receiveth seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.

What does Matthew 13:23 mean?

Barnes' Notes

Verse 23. Into the good ground. Those whose hearts are prepared by grace to receive it honestly, and to give it full opportunity to grow. In a rich and mellow soil-- a heart that submits itself to the full influence of truth, unchecked by cares and anxieties; under the showers and summer suns of Divine grace; with the heart spread open, like a broad luxuriant field, to the rays of the morning, and to evening dews--the gospel takes deep root, and grows; it has full room, and then and there only shows what it is.

(p) "beareth fruit" Jn 15:5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 23 Good ground - That which had depth of mould, was well ploughed, and well weeded. Is he that heareth - Who diligently attends the ministry of the word. And understandeth it - Lays the subject to heart, deeply weighing its nature, design, and importance. Which also beareth fruit - His fruitfulness being an almost necessary consequence of his thus laying the Divine message to heart. Let it be observed, that to hear, to understand, and to bring forth fruit, are the three grand evidences of a genuine believer. He who does not hear the word of wisdom cannot understand what makes for his peace; and he who does not understand what the Gospel requires him to be and to perform, cannot bring forth fruit; and he who is not fruitful, very fruitful, cannot be a disciple of Christ - see Joh 15:8; and he who is not Christ's disciple cannot enter into the kingdom of God. From the different portions of fruit produced by the good ground, a hundred, sixty, and thirty, we may learn that all sound believers are not equally fruitful; all hear, understand, and bring forth fruit, but not in the same degrees-occasioned, partly, by their situation and circumstances not allowing them such extensive opportunities of receiving and doing good; and, partly, by lack of mental capacity - for every mind is not equally improvable. Let it be farther observed that the unfruitfulness of the different lands was not owing to bad seed or an unskilful sower - the same sower sows the same seed in all, and with the same gracious design - but it is unfruitful in many because they are careless, inattentive, and worldly-minded. But is not the ground naturally bad in every heart? Undoubtedly. And can any but God make it good? None. But it is your business, when you hear of the justice and mercy of God, to implore him to work in you that which is pleasing in his sight. No man shall be condemned because he did not change his own heart, but because he did not cry to God to change it, who gave him his Holy Spirit for this very purpose, and which he, by his worldly-mindedness and impiety, quenched. Whoso hath ears to hear let him hear: and may the Lord save the reader from an impenitent and unfruitful heart!

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 13:23 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.

ὁhoThatG3588

δὲdehoweverG1161

ἐπὶepionG1909

τὴνtēntheG3588

καλὴνkalēngoodG2570

γῆνgēnsoilG1093

σπαρείς,spareishaving been sown,G4687

οὗτόςhoutosthisG3778

ἐστινestinisG1510

ὁhothe [one]G3588

τὸνtontheG3588

λόγονlogonwordG3056

ἀκούωνakouōnhearingG191

καὶkaiandG2532

συνιείς,sunieisunderstanding,G4920

ὃςhoswhoG3739

δὴdēindeedG1211

καρποφορεῖkarpophoreibrings forth fruitG2592

καὶkaiandG2532

ποιεῖ,poieiproduces —G4160

ὃhosomeG3739

μὲνmenindeedG3303

ἑκατόν,hekatona hundredfold,G1540

ὃhosomeG3739

δὲdehoweverG1161

ἑξήκοντα,hexēkontasixty,G1835

ὃhosomeG3739

δὲdehoweverG1161

τριάκοντα.¶triakontathirty.G5144

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

Cross references for Matthew 13:23

Philippians 1:11
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Matthew 12:33
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
John 15:16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Psalms 92:13-15
Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Matthew 13:8
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
John 15:1-8
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. …
Colossians 1:6
Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Luke 13:9
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Colossians 1:10
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Matthew 3:8
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

that received.
8; Mr 4:20; Lu 8:15
good.
Pr 1:5,6; 2:2-6; Eze 18:31; 36:26; Mr 10:15; Joh 1:11-13; 8:47; 10:26
Joh 10:27; 17:7,8; Ac 16:14; 17:11; 2Th 2:10,13,14; Heb 4:2; 8:10
Jas 1:21,22; 1Pe 2:1,2; 1Jo 5:20
beareth.
3:8,10; 12:33; Ps 1:1-3; 92:13-15; Lu 6:43,44; 13:9; Joh 15:1-8,16
Ga 5:22,23; Php 1:11; 4:17; Col 1:6,10; Heb 6:7; 13:15,16
some an.
2Co 8:1,2; 9:10; 1Th 4:1; 2Pe 1:5-8; 3:18

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

Context

Matthew 13:22
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Matthew 13:23
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Matthew 13:24
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:23 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas el que fué sembrado en buena tierra, éste es el que oye y entiende la palabra, y el que lleva fruto: y lleva uno á ciento, y otro á sesenta, y otro á treinta.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et celui qui a été semé sur la bonne terre, c’est celui qui entend et comprend la parole, qui aussi porte du fruit, et produit l’un 100, l’autre 60, l’autre 30.
German Elberfelder 1871	Der aber auf die gute Erde gesät ist, dieser ist es, der das Wort hört und versteht, welcher wirklich Frucht bringt; und der eine trägt hundert-, der andere sechzig-, der andere dreißigfältig.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Qui vero in terram bonam seminatus est, hic est qui audit verbum, et intelligit, et fructum affert, et facit aliud quidem centesimum, aliud autem sexagesimum, aliud vero trigesimum.