Matthew 8 · Verse 11

Matthew 8:11

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 8:11, King James Version

Matthew 8:11 in other translations

BSBI say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
WEBI tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven,
ASVAnd I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:
YLTand I say to you, that many from east and west shall come and recline (at meat) with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the reign of the heavens,
DARBYBut I say unto you, that many shall come from the rising and setting sun, and shall lie down at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens;
BBEAnd I say to you that numbers will come from the east and the west, and will take their seats with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:
WebsterAnd I say to you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

What does Matthew 8:11 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. Many shall come from the east, etc. Jesus takes occasion, from the faith of a Roman centurion, to state this conversion would not be solitary; that many pagans--many from the east and west-- would be converted to the gospel, and be saved, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were. The phrase "from the east and from the west," in the Scripture, is used to denote the whole world, Isa 45:6, 59:19. The phrase, shall sit down, in the original, refers to the manner of sitting at meals, Mt 23:6 and the enjoyments of heaven are described under the similitude of a feast or banquet--a very common manner of speaking of it, Mt 26:29, Lk 14:15, 22:30. It is used here to denote felicity, enjoyment, or honour. To sit with those distinguished men was an honour, and would be expressive of great felicity.

(z) "many shall come" Is 2:2,3, Lk 13:29, Acts 11:18, Eph 3:6, Rev 7:9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 Many shall come from the east and west - Men of every description, of all countries, and of all professions; and shall sit down, that is, to meat, for this is the proper meaning of ανακλιθησονται, intimating the recumbent posture used by the easterns at their meals. The rabbins represent the blessedness of the kingdom of God under the notion of a banquet. See several proofs of this in Schoettgenius. This was spoken to soften the unreasonable prejudices of the Jews, which they entertained against the Gentiles, and to prepare them to receive their brethren of mankind into religious fellowship with themselves, under the Christian dispensation. With Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob - In the closest communion with the most eminent followers of God. But if we desire to inherit the promises, we must be followers of them who through faith and patience enjoy them. Let us therefore imitate Abraham in his faith, Isaac in his obedience unto death, and Jacob in his hope and expectation of good things to come, amidst all the evils of this life, if we desire to reign with them.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 8:5-13

This centurion was a heathen, a Roman soldier. Though he was a soldier, yet he was a godly man. No man's calling or place will be an excuse for unbelief and sin. See how he states his servant's case. We should concern ourselves for the souls of our children and servants, who are spiritually sick, who feel not spiritual evils, who know not that which is spiritually good; and we should bring them to Christ by faith…

Read the full comment on Matthew 8:5-13 →

Matthew 8:11 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.

λέγωlegōI sayG3004
δὲdenowG1161
ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771
ὅτιhotithatG3754
πολλοὶpolloimanyG4183
ἀπὸapofromG575
ἀνατολῶνanatolōneastG395
καὶkaiandG2532
δυσμῶνdusmōnwestG1424
ἥξουσινhēxousinwill comeG2240
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀνακλιθήσονταιanaklithēsontaithey will reclineG347
μετὰmetawithG3326
ἈβραὰμAbraamAbrahamG11
καὶkaiandG2532
ἸσαὰκIsaakIsaacG2464
καὶkaiandG2532
ἸακὼβIakōbJacobG2384
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
βασιλείᾳbasileiakingdomG932
τῶνtōnof theG3588
οὐρανῶν.ouranōnheavens.G3772

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

Cross references for Matthew 8:11

  • Luke 13:28-29

    There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

  • Ephesians 3:6

    That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

  • Malachi 1:11

    For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.

  • Galatians 3:28-29

    There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

  • Ephesians 2:11-14

    Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

  • Micah 4:1-2

    But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

  • Luke 12:37

    Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

  • Isaiah 2:2-3

    And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

  • Acts 10:45

    And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

  • Matthew 24:31

    And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

  • Acts 11:18

    When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

  • Colossians 3:11

    Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
That.
24:31; Ge 12:3; 22:18; 28:14; 49:10; Ps 22:27; 98:3; Isa 2:2,3; 11:10
Isa 49:6; 52:10; 60:1-6; Jer 16:19; Da 2:44; Mic 4:1,2; Zec 8:20-23
Mal 1:11; Lu 13:29; 14:23,24; Ac 10:45; 11:18; 14:27; Ro 15:9-13
Ga 3:28,29; Eph 2:11-14; 3:6; Col 3:11; Re 7:6
shall sit.[Anaklino klino ,] shall recline, i.e., at table; referring to the recumbent posture used by the easterners at their meals.
Lu 12:37; 13:29; 16:22; Re 3:20,21
in.
3:2; Lu 13:28; Ac 14:22; 1Co 6:9; 15:20; 2Th 1:5

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

Context

  • Matthew 8:10

    When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

  • Matthew 8:11

    And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

  • Matthew 8:12

    But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Read all of Matthew 8

Matthew 8:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y os digo que vendrán muchos del oriente y del occidente, y se sentarán con Abraham, é Isaac, y Jacob, en el reino de los cielos:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je vous dis que plusieurs viendront d’orient et d’occident, et s’assiéront avec Abraham et Isaac et Jacob dans le royaume des cieux;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich sage euch aber, daß viele von Osten und Westen kommen und mit Abraham und Isaak und Jakob zu Tische liegen werden in dem Reiche der Himmel,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dico autem vobis, quod multi ab oriente et occidente venient, et recumbent cum Abraham, et Isaac, et Jacob in regno cælorum: