Matthew 13 · Verse 45

Matthew 13:45

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
Matthew 13:45, King James Version

Matthew 13:45 in other translations

BSBAgain, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
WEB“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls,
ASVAgain, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls:
YLT‘Again, the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a merchant, seeking goodly pearls,
DARBYAgain, the kingdom of the heavens is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls;
BBEAgain, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader searching for beautiful jewels.
WebsterAgain, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking goodly pearls:

What does Matthew 13:45 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
45. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verses 45,46. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man. The meaning is, that the proper seeking for salvation, or the proper conduct in reference to religion, is like the conduct of a merchantman. In his searches he found one pearl of great value, and sold all his possessions to obtain it. So, says he, men seeking for happiness and finding the gospel--the pearl of great price--should be willing to lose all other things for this. Pearls are precious stones, found in the shells of oysters, chiefly in the East Indies, Mt 7:6. They are valuable on account of their beauty, and because they are rare. The value of them is greatly increased by their size. The meaning of this parable is nearly the same as the other. It is designed to represent the gospel as of more value than all other things, and to impress on us the duty of sacrificing all that we possess in order to obtain it.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 45 A merchant man, seeking goodly pearls - A story very like this is found in the Talmudical tract Shabbath: "Joseph, who sanctified the Sabbath, had a very rich neighbor; the Chaldeans said, All the riches of this man shall come to Joseph, who sanctifies the Sabbath. To prevent this, the rich man went and sold all that he had, and bought a pearl, and went aboard of a ship; but the wind carried the pearl away, it fell into the sea, and was swallowed by a fish. This fish was caught, and the day before the Sabbath it was brought into the market, and they proclaimed, Who wishes to buy this fish? The people said, Carry it to Joseph, the sanctifier of the Sabbath, who is accustomed to buy things of great value. They carried it to him, and he bought it, and when he cut it up he found the pearl, and sold it for thirteen pounds weight of golden denarii!" From some tradition of this kind, our Lord might have borrowed the simile in this parable. The meaning of this parable is the same with the other; and both were spoken to impress more forcibly this great truth on the souls of the people: - eternal salvation from sin and its consequences is the supreme good of man, should be sought after above all things, and prized beyond all that God has made. Those merchants who compass sea and land for temporal gain, condemn the slothfulness of the majority of those called Christians, who, though they confess that this salvation is the most certain and the most excellent of all treasures, yet seek worldly possessions in preference to it! Alas, for him who expects to find any thing more amiable than God, more worthy to fill his heart, and more capable of making him happy!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 13:44-52

Here are four parables. 1. That of the treasure hid in the field. Many slight the gospel, because they look only upon the surface of the field. But all who search the Scriptures, so as in them to find Christ and eternal life, Joh 5:39, will discover such treasure in this field as makes it unspeakably valuable; they make it their own upon any terms. Though nothing can be given as a price for this salvation, yet much…

Read the full comment on Matthew 13:44-52 →

Matthew 13:45 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.

ΠάλινPalinAgainG3825
ὁμοίαhomoialikeG3664
ἐστὶνestinisG1510
ἡhētheG3588
βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932
τῶνtōnof theG3588
οὐρανῶνouranōnheavensG3772
ἀνθρώπῳanthrōpōto a manG444
ἐμπόρῳemporōa merchantG1713
ζητοῦντιzētountiseekingG2212
καλοὺςkalousfineG2570
μαργαρίτας.margaritaspearls.G3135

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

Cross references for Matthew 13:45

  • Proverbs 8:10-11

    Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

  • Matthew 16:26

    For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

  • Proverbs 3:13-18

    Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. …

  • Job 28:18

    No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

  • 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:

  • Proverbs 8:18-20

    Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

  • Matthew 22:5

    But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

  • Ecclesiastes 12:13

    Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

  • Psalms 39:6-7

    Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

  • Psalms 4:6-7

    There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:8

    Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:2-12

    I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
like.
16:26; 22:5; Pr 3:13-18; 8:10,11,18-20
seeking.
Job 28:18; Ps 4:6,7; 39:6,7; Ec 2:2-12; 12:8,13

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

Context

  • Matthew 13:44

    Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

  • Matthew 13:45

    Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

  • Matthew 13:46

    Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:45 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		También el reino de los cielos es semejante al hombre tratante, que busca buenas perlas;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Encore, le royaume des cieux est semblable à un marchand qui cherche de belles perles;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wiederum ist das Reich der Himmel gleich einem Kaufmann, der schöne Perlen sucht;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Iterum simile est regnum cælorum homini negotiatori, quærenti bonas margaritas.