Matthew 26 · Verse 11

Matthew 26:11

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Matthew 26:11, King James Version

Matthew 26:11 in other translations

BSBThe poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.
WEBFor you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.
ASVFor ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
YLTfor the poor always ye have with you, and me ye have not always;
DARBYFor ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always.
BBEFor the poor you have ever with you, but me you have not for ever.
WebsterFor ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

What does Matthew 26:11 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. For ye have the poor, etc. Mark adds, "Whensoever ye will ye may do them good." It was right that they should regard the poor. It was a plain precept of religion, (see Ps 41:1, Prov 14:21; Prov 29:7; Gal 2:10,) and our Saviour would not prohibit it, but do all that was possible to excite his followers to the duty. But every duty should be done in its place, and the duty then incumbent was that which Mary had performed. They would afterwards have abundant occasion to show their regard for the poor.

Me ye have not always. He alludes here to his dying, and his going away to heaven. He would be their Friend and their Saviour, but he would not be bodily present with them always, so that they could show kindness in this way to him.

(u) "For ye have the poor" De 15:11 (v) "me ye have not" Jn 14:19, 17:11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 Ye have the poor always with you - And, consequently, have the opportunity of doing them good at any time; but me ye have not always; my bodily presence is about to be removed from you for ever. The woman, under a presentiment of my death is preparing me for my burial.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 26:6-13

The pouring ointment upon the head of Christ was a token of the highest respect. Where there is true love in the heart to Jesus Christ, nothing will be thought too good to bestow upon him. The more Christ's servants and their services are cavilled at, the more he manifests his acceptance. This act of faith and love was so remarkable, that it would be reported, as a memorial of Mary's faith and love, to all future…

Read the full comment on Matthew 26:6-13 →

Matthew 26:11 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.

πάντοτεpantoteAlwaysG3842
γὰρgarforG1063
τοὺςtoustheG3588
πτωχοὺςptōchouspoorG4434
ἔχετεecheteyou haveG2192
μεθ᾽meth᾽withG3326
ἑαυτῶν,he'autōnyourselves,G1438
ἐμὲemeMe myselfG1473
δὲdehoweverG1161
οὐounotG3756
πάντοτεpantotealwaysG3842
ἔχετε.echeteyou have.G2192

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

Cross references for Matthew 26:11

  • Deuteronomy 15:11

    For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

  • Mark 14:7

    For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

  • John 12:8

    For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

  • John 16:28

    I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

  • John 16:5

    But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

  • John 13:33

    Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

  • John 14:19

    Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

  • Matthew 28:20

    Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

  • Matthew 18:20

    For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

  • Matthew 25:42-45

    For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

  • Acts 3:21

    Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

  • Matthew 25:34-40

    Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ye have.
25:34-40,42-45; De 15:11; Mr 14:7; Joh 12:8; Ga 2:10; 1Jo 3:17
but.
18:20; 28:20; Joh 13:33; 14:19; 16:5,28; 17:11; Ac 3:21

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

Context

  • Matthew 26:10

    When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

  • Matthew 26:11

    For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

  • Matthew 26:12

    For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Read all of Matthew 26

Matthew 26:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque siempre tendréis pobres con vosotros, mas á mí no siempre me tendréis.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		car vous avez toujours les pauvres avec vous, mais moi, vous ne m’avez pas toujours;
German
Elberfelder 1871		denn die Armen habt ihr allezeit bei euch, mich aber habt ihr nicht allezeit.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nam semper pauperes habetis vobiscum: me autem non semper habetis.