Matthew 13 · Verse 28

Matthew 13:28

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Matthew 13:28, King James Version

Matthew 13:28 in other translations

BSB‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
WEB“He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’
ASVAnd he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
YLTAnd he saith to them, A man, an enemy, did this; and the servants said to him, Wilt thou, then, that having gone away we may gather it up?
DARBYAnd he said to them, A man that is an enemy has done this. And the bondmen said to him, Wilt thou then that we should go and gather it up?
BBEAnd he said, Someone has done this in hate. And the servants say to him, Is it your pleasure that we go and take them up?
WebsterHe said to them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said to him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them?

What does Matthew 13:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
28. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this--Kind words these from a good Husbandman, honorably clearing His faithful servants of the wrong done to his field. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?--Compare with this the question of James and John (Lu 9:54), "Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume" those Samaritans? In this kind of zeal there is usually a large mixture of carnal heat. (See Jas 1:20).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 28 An enemy hath done this - It is the interest of Satan to introduce hypocrites and wicked persons into religious societies, in order to discredit the work of God, and to favor his own designs. Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? - A zeal which is rash and precipitate is as much to be feared as the total lack of strict discipline.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 13:24-30

, 36-43 This parable represents the present and future state of the gospel church; Christ's care of it, the devil's enmity against it, the mixture there is in it of good and bad in this world, and the separation between them in the other world. So prone is fallen man to sin, that if the enemy sow the tares, he may go his way, they will spring up, and do hurt; whereas, when good seed is sown, it must be tended…

Read the full comment on Matthew 13:24-30 →

Matthew 13:28 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.

ὁhoHeG3588
δὲdethenG1161
ἔφηephēwas sayingG5346
αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846
ἐχθρὸςechthrosAn enemyG2190
ἄνθρωποςanthrōposa manG444
τοῦτοtoutothisG3778
ἐποίησεν.epoiēsendid.G4160
οἱhoi<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
δοῦλοιdouloithe servantsG1401
λέγουσινlegousinthey sayG3004
αὐτῷ·autōto him:G846
θέλειςtheleisDo you desireG2309
οὖνounthenG3767
ἀπελθόντεςapelthontes[that] having gone forthG565
συλλέξωμενsullexōmenwe shall gatherG4816
αὐτά;autathem?G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 13:28

  • 1 Corinthians 5:3-7

    For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? …

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:14

    Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

  • Luke 9:49-54

    And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. …

  • Jude 1:22-23

    And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

  • 2 Corinthians 2:6-11

    Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Wilt.
Lu 9:49-54; 1Co 5:3-7; 2Co 2:6-11; 1Th 5:14; Jude 1:22,23

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

Context

  • Matthew 13:27

    So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

  • Matthew 13:28

    He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

  • Matthew 13:29

    But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:28 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y él les dijo: Un hombre enemigo ha hecho esto. Y los siervos le dijeron: ¿Quieres, pues, que vayamos y la cojamos?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il leur dit: Un ennemi a fait cela. Et les esclaves lui dirent: Veux-tu donc que nous allions et que nous la cueillions?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er aber sprach zu ihnen: Ein feindseliger Mensch hat dies getan. Die Knechte aber sprachen zu ihm: Willst du denn, daß wir hingehen und es zusammenlesen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait illis: Inimicus homo hoc fecit. Servi autem dixerunt ei: Vis, imus, et colligimus ea?