Matthew 28 · Verse 9

Matthew 28:9

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
Matthew 28:9, King James Version

Matthew 28:9 in other translations

BSBSuddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.
WEBAs they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
ASVAnd behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and took hold of his feet, and worshipped him.
YLTand as they were going to tell to his disciples, then lo, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Hail!' and they having come near, laid hold of his feet, and did bow to him.
DARBYAnd as they went to bring his disciples word, behold also, Jesus met them, saying, Hail! And they coming up took him by the feet, and did him homage.
BBEAnd on the way, Jesus came to them, saying, Be glad. And they came and put their hands on his feet, and gave him worship.
WebsterAnd as they were going to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came, and held him by the feet, and worshiped him.

What does Matthew 28:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail!--the usual salute, but from the lips of Jesus bearing a higher signification. And they came and held him by the feet--How truly womanly!

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 9. And as they went--Jesus met them. This was when they left the sepulchre the second time. Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, when alone, Jn 20:14. Afterwards he appeared to the other women, as related by Matthew. See the accounts of the resurrection harmonized, at the end of this chapter.

All hail. This is a term of salutation. The word "all" has been supplied by the translators. It is not in the original. The meaning of the world "hail" here, is rejoice; a term of salutation connected with the idea of joy--joy at his resurrection, and at meeting them again.

Held him by the feet. Or threw themselves prostrate before him. This was the usual posture of supplication. See 2Kgs 4:37. It does not mean that they took hold of his feet, but only that they cast themselves down before him.

And worshipped him. Mt 8:2. In this place the word worship seems to denote the homage due to the Messiah risen from the dead; regarded by them now in a proper light, and entitled to the honour which was due to God, agreeably to Jn 5:23.

(l) "All hail" Jn 20:19

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 And as they went to tell his disciples - This clause is wanting in the Codex Vatican, and Codex Bezae, and in twenty others, and in most of the versions. The omission is approved by Mill, Bengel, and Schmid. Griesbach leaves it in the text with a note of doubtfulness. It appears to be superfluous. To connect this with the next clause, the particle και, and, is obliged to be suppressed in all the translations. I think the verse should begin with, And behold he goeth, etc., and the former clause be suppressed. Probabiliter delenda, says Professor White, in his Crisews Griesbachianae, speaking of the preceding words. Jesus met them - Christ bestows his graces and consolations by degrees, first by his angels, and then by himself. He does not reveal himself to incredulous and disobedient souls; he appears not even to these women till he has tried their faith and obedience by his ministering angels. All hail - Anglo-Saxon, Health be to you! Χαιρετε, Be ye safe, rejoice. And they held him by the feet, and worshipped him - This kind of reverence is in daily use among the Hindoos: when a disciple meets his religious guide in the public streets, he prostrates himself before him, and, taking the dust from his teacher's feet, rubs it on his forehead, breast, etc. See Ward's Customs.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 28:9-10
God's gracious visits usually meet us in the way of duty; and to those who use what they have for others' benefit, more shall be given. This interview with Christ was unexpected; but Christ was nigh them, and still is nigh us in the word. The salutation speaks the good-will of Christ to man, even since he entered upon his state of exaltation. It is the will of Christ that his people should be a cheerful, joyful people, and his resurrection furnishes abundant matter for joy. Be not afraid. Christ rose from the dead, to silence his people's fears, and there is enough in that to silence them. The disciples had just before shamefully deserted him in his sufferings; but, to show that he could forgive, and to teach us to do so, he calls them brethren. Notwithstanding his majesty and purity, and our meanness and unworthiness, he still condescends to call believers his brethren.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 28:9 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.

ὩςHōsaboutG5613
δὲdenowG1161
ἐπορεύοντοeporeuontowere goingG4198
ἀπαγγεῖλαιapangeilaito reportG518
τοῖςtoisto theG3588
μαθηταῖςmathētaisdisciplesG3101
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
καὶkaiAndG2532
ἰδοὺidoubeholdG2400
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ὑπήντησενhupēntēsenmet withG5221
αὐταῖςautaisthemG846
λέγων·legōnsaying;G3004
χαίρετε.chaireteGreetings!G5463
αἱhai<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
προσελθοῦσαιproselthousaihaving come to [Him]G4334
ἐκράτησανekratēsanthey took hold ofG2902
αὐτοῦautouHisG846
τοὺςtous<the>G3588
πόδαςpodasfeetG4228
καὶkaiandG2532
προσεκύνησανprosekunēsanworshipedG4352
αὐτῷ.¶autōHim.G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 28:9

  • Matthew 28:17

    And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

  • Matthew 14:33

    Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

  • John 20:14-17

    And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

  • John 20:28

    And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

  • Luke 24:52

    And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

  • Revelation 5:11-14

    And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

  • John 12:3

    Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

  • Revelation 3:9

    Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

  • Mark 16:9-10

    Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

  • Luke 1:28

    And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

  • Luke 7:38

    And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

  • Song of Solomon 3:3-4

    The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as.
Isa 64:5; Mr 16:9,10; Joh 20:14-16
All hail.
Lu 1:28; Joh 20:19; 2Co 13:11; *Gr:
and held.
So 3:3,4; Lu 7:38; Joh 12:3; 20:17; Re 3:9
worshipped.
17; 14:33; Lu 24:52; Joh 20:28; Re 5:11-14

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

Context

  • Matthew 28:8

    And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

  • Matthew 28:9

    And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

  • Matthew 28:10

    Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Read all of Matthew 28

Matthew 28:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
He aquí, Jesús les sale al encuentro, diciendo: Salve. Y ellas se llegaron y abrazaron sus pies, y le adoraron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et comme elles allaient pour l’annoncer à ses disciples, voici aussi Jésus vint au-devant d’elles, disant: Je vous salue. Et elles, s’approchant de lui, saisirent ses pieds et lui rendirent hommage.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Als sie aber hingingen, es seinen Jüngern zu verkünden, siehe, da kam Jesus ihnen entgegen und sprach: Seid gegrüßt! Sie aber traten herzu, umfaßten seine Füße und huldigten ihm.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et ecce Jesus occurrit illis, dicens: Avete. Illæ autem accesserunt, et tenuerunt pedes ejus, et adoraverunt eum.