Matthew 13 · Verse 4

Matthew 13:4

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Matthew 13:4, King James Version

Matthew 13:4 in other translations

BSBAnd as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
WEBAs he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.
ASVand as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them:
YLTand in his sowing, some indeed fell by the way, and the fowls did come and devour them,
DARBYand as he sowed, some grains fell along the way, and the birds came and devoured them;
BBEAnd while he did so, some seeds were dropped by the wayside, and the birds came and took them for food:
WebsterAnd when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them:

What does Matthew 13:4 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4. Some seeds fell by the way side. That is, the hard path or headland, which the plough had not touched, and where there was no opportunity for it to sink into the earth.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Some seeds fell by the way side - The hard beaten path, where no plough had broken up the ground.

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 13:4 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.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
σπείρεινspeireinsowingG4687
αὐτὸνautonof himG846
ἃhasomeG3739
μὲνmenindeedG3303
ἔπεσενepesenfellG4098
παρὰparaalongG3844
τὴνtēntheG3588
ὁδόν,hodonroad,G3598
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐλθόνταelthontahaving comeG2064
τὰtatheG3588
πετεινὰpeteinabirdsG4071
κατέφαγενkatephagendevouredG2719
αὐτά.autathem.G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 13:4

  • Matthew 13:18-19

    Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the way.
18,19

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

Context

  • Matthew 13:3

    And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

  • Matthew 13:4

    And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

  • Matthew 13:5

    Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y sembrando, parte de la simiente cayó junto al camino; y vinieron las aves, y la comieron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et comme il semait, quelques grains tombèrent le long du chemin, et les oiseaux vinrent et les dévorèrent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und indem er säte, fiel etliches an den Weg, und die Vögel kamen und fraßen es auf.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et dum seminat, quædam ceciderunt secus viam, et venerunt volucres cæli, et comederunt ea.