Matthew 22 · Verse 25

Matthew 22:25

Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
Matthew 22:25, King James Version

Matthew 22:25 in other translations

BSBNow there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother.
WEBNow there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother.
ASVNow there were with us seven brethren: and the first married and deceased, and having no seed left his wife unto his brother;
YLT‘And there were with us seven brothers, and the first having married did die, and not having seed, he left his wife to his brother;
DARBYNow there were with us seven brethren; and the first having married died, and not having seed, left his wife to his brother.
BBENow there were among us seven brothers; and the first was married and at his death, having no seed, gave his wife to his brother;
WebsterNow there were with us seven brothers: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased; and having no issue, left his wife to his brother.

What does Matthew 22:25 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verses 25-28. There were with us seven brethren. It is probable that they stated a case as difficult as possible; and though no such case might have occurred, yet it was supposable, and in their view it presented a real difficulty. The difficulty arose from the fact that they supposed that substantially the same state of things takes place in the other world as here; that husbands and wives must be reunited; and they professed not to be able to see how one woman could be the wife of seven men.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 25 Seven brethren - It is very likely that the Sadducees increased the number, merely to make the question the more difficult.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 22:23-33

The doctrines of Christ displeased the infidel Sadducees, as well as the Pharisees and Herodians. He carried the great truths of the resurrection and a future state, further than they had yet been reveled. There is no arguing from the state of things in this world, as to what will take place hereafter. Let truth be set in a clear light, and it appears in full strength. Having thus silenced them, our Lord proceeded…

Read the full comment on Matthew 22:23-33 →

Matthew 22:25 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.

ἦσανēsanThere wereG1510
δὲdenowG1161
παρ᾽par᾽amongG3844
ἡμῖνhēminusG3165
ἑπτὰheptasevenG2033
ἀδελφοί.adelphoibrothers.G80
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhotheG3588
πρῶτοςprōtosfirstG4413
γήμαςgēmashaving marriedG1060
ἐτελεύτησεν,eteleutēsendied,G5053
καὶkaiandG2532
μὴmēnotG3361
ἔχωνechōnhavingG2192
σπέρμαspermaseedG4690
ἀφῆκενaphēkenhe leftG863
τὴνtēntheG3588
γυναῖκαgunaikawifeG1135
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
τῷtōto theG3588
ἀδελφῷadelphōbrotherG80
αὐτοῦ·autouof him;G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 22:25

  • Hebrews 9:27

    And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

  • Mark 12:19-23

    Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. …

  • Luke 20:29-33

    There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died. Last of all the woman died also. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mr 12:19-23; Lu 20:29-33; Heb 9:27

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

Context

  • Matthew 22:24

    Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

  • Matthew 22:25

    Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:

  • Matthew 22:26

    Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.

Read all of Matthew 22

Matthew 22:25 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Fueron pues, entre nosotros siete hermanos: y el primero tomó mujer, y murió; y no teniendo generación, dejó su mujer á su hermano.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or il y avait parmi nous sept frères; et le premier s’étant marié, mourut, et n’ayant pas de postérité, il laissa sa femme à son frère;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es waren aber bei uns sieben Brüder. Und der erste verheiratete sich und starb; und weil er keinen Samen hatte, hinterließ er sein Weib seinem Bruder.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Erant autem apud nos septem fratres: et primus, uxore ducta, defunctus est: et non habens semen, reliquit uxorem suam fratri suo.