Matthew 26 · Verse 31

Matthew 26:31

Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
Matthew 26:31, King James Version

Matthew 26:31 in other translations

BSBThen Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
WEBThen Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
ASVThen saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended in me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
YLTthen saith Jesus to them, ‘All ye shall be stumbled at me this night; for it hath been written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad;
DARBYThen saith Jesus to them, All ye shall be offended in me during this night. For it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
BBEThen said Jesus to them, All of you will be turned away from me this night: for it is said in the Writings, I will put to death the keeper of the sheep, and the sheep of the flock will be put to flight.
WebsterThen saith Jesus to them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

What does Matthew 26:31 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verses 31-35. Jesus foretells the fall of Peter. This is also recorded in Mk 14:27-31, Lk 21:31-34, Jn 13:36-38.

Verse 31. Then saith Jesus unto them, etc. The occasion of his saying this was Peter's bold affirmation that that he was ready to die with him, Jn 13:37. Jesus had told them that he was going away; i.e., was about to die. Peter asked him whither he was going. Jesus replied, that he could not follow then, but should afterwards. Peter, not satisfied with that, said that he was ready to lay down his life for him. Jesus then distinctly informed them that all of them would leave him that night.

All ye shall be offended because of me. Mt 5:29. It means, here, you will all stumble at my being taken, abused, and set at naught; you will be ashamed to own me as a teacher, and to acknowledge yourselves as my disciples. Or, my being betrayed will prove a snare to you all, so that you shall be guilty of the sin of forsaking me, and by your conduct of denying me.

For it is written, etc. See Zech 13:7. This is affirmed here to have reference to the Saviour, and to be fulfilled in him.

I will smite. This is the language of God the Father. I will smite, means either that I will give him up to be smitten, (compare Ex 4:21, 8:16, etc.,), or that I will do it myself. Both of thrum things were done. God gave him up to the Jews and Romans, to be smitten for the sins of the world, (Rom 8:32;) and he himself left him to deep and awful sorrows, to bear "the burden of the world's atonement" alone. See Mk 15:34.

The shepherd. The Lord Jesus--the Shepherd of his people, Jn 10:11,14; comp. Isa 11:11. The sheep. This means here particularly the apostles. It also refers sometimes to all the followers of Jesus, the friends of God, Jn 10:16; Ps 100:3.

Shall be scattered abroad. This refers to their fleeing, and was fulfilled in that. See Mt 26:66.

(e) "is written" Zech 13:7

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 All ye shall be offended - Or rather, Ye will all be stumbled - παντες υμεις σκανδαλισθησεσθε - ye will all forsake me, and lose in a great measure your confidence in me. This night - The time of trial is just at hand. I will smite the shepherd - It will happen to you as to a flock of sheep, whose shepherd has been slain - the leader and guardian being removed, the whole flock shall be scattered, and be on the point of becoming a prey to ravenous beasts.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 26:31-35
Improper self-confidence, like that of Peter, is the first step to a fall. There is a proneness in all of us to be over-confident. But those fall soonest and foulest, who are the most confident in themselves. Those are least safe, who think themselves most secure. Satan is active to lead such astray; they are most off their guard: God leaves them to themselves, to humble them.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 26:31 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.

ΤότεToteThenG5119
λέγειlegeisaysG3004
αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846
ὁho<the>G3588
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
πάντεςpantesAllG3956
ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
σκανδαλισθήσεσθεskandalisthēsesthewill fall awayG4624
ἐνenbecause ofG1722
ἐμοὶemoiMe myselfG1473
ἐνenduringG1722
τῇtēa<the>G3588
νυκτὶnuktinightG3571
ταύτῃ·tautēthis;G3778
γέγραπταιgegraptaiIt has been writtenG1125
γάρ·garfor:G1063
πατάξωpataxōI will strikeG3960
τὸνtontheG3588
ποιμένα,poimenashepherd,G4166
καὶkaiandG2532
διασκορπισθήσονταιdiaskorpisthēsontaithey will be scatteredG1287
τὰtatheG3588
πρόβαταprobatasheepG4263
τῆςtēsof theG3588
ποίμνης.poimnēsflock.’G4167

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

Cross references for Matthew 26:31

  • Zechariah 13:7

    Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

  • Mark 14:27-28

    And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

  • John 16:32

    Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

  • Ezekiel 34:5-6

    And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

  • Psalms 69:20

    Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

  • Psalms 38:11

    My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

  • Matthew 24:9-10

    Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

  • Psalms 88:18

    Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

  • Luke 22:31-32

    And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

  • Lamentations 1:19

    I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.

  • Isaiah 53:10

    Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

  • Job 19:13-16

    He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
All.
56; 11:6; 24:9,10; Mr 14:27,28; Lu 22:31,32; Joh 16:32
I will.
Isa 53:10; Zec 13:7
and the.
Job 6:15-22; 19:13-16; Ps 38:11; 69:20; 88:18; La 1:19; Eze 34:5,6

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

Context

  • Matthew 26:30

    And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

  • Matthew 26:31

    Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

  • Matthew 26:32

    But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Read all of Matthew 26

Matthew 26:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Jesús les dice: Todos vosotros seréis escandalizados en mí esta noche; porque escrito está: Heriré al Pastor, y las ovejas de la manada serán dispersas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors Jésus leur dit: Vous serez tous scandalisés en moi cette nuit; car il est écrit: « Je frapperai le berger, et les brebis du troupeau seront dispersées »;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da spricht Jesus zu ihnen: Ihr werdet euch alle in dieser Nacht an mir ärgern; denn es steht geschrieben: "Ich werde den Hirten schlagen, und die Schafe der Herde werden zerstreut werden".
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc dicit illis Jesus: Omnes vos scandalum patiemini in me in ista nocte. Scriptum est enim: Percutiam pastorem, et dispergentur oves gregis.