Matthew 8 · Verse 21

Matthew 8:21

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Matthew 8:21, King James Version

Matthew 8:21 in other translations

BSBAnother of His disciples requested, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
WEBAnother of his disciples said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.”
ASVAnd another of the disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
YLTAnd another of his disciples said to him, ‘Sir, permit me first to depart and to bury my father;'
DARBYBut another of his disciples said to him, Lord, suffer me first to go away and bury my father.
BBEAnd another of the disciples said to him, Lord, let me first go and give the last honours to my father.
WebsterAnd another of his disciples said to him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

What does Matthew 8:21 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 21. And another of his disciples, etc. The word disciple properly signifies learner; and was given to his followers because they received him as their teacher. Mt 5:1. It does not of necessity mean that a disciple was a pious man, but only one of the multitude, who, for various causes, might attend on his instructions. See Jn 6:66, 9:28

(g) "Lord, suffer" 1Kgs 19:20

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Another of his disciples - This does not mean any of the twelve, but one of those who were constant hearers of our Lord's preaching; the name of disciple being common to all those who professed to believe in him, Joh 6:66. Bury my father: probably his father was old, and apparently near death; but it was a maxim among the Jews, that, if a man had any duty to perform to the dead, he was, for that time, free from the observance of any other precept or duty. The children of Adam are always in extremes; some will rush into the ministry of the Gospel without a call, others will delay long after they are called; the middle way is the only safe one: not to move a finger in the work till the call be given, and not to delay a moment after.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 8:18-22

One of the scribes was too hasty in promising; he proffers himself to be a close follower of Christ. He seems to be very resolute. Many resolutions for religion are produced by sudden conviction, and taken up without due consideration; these come to nothing. When this scribe offered to follow Christ, one would think he should have been encouraged; one scribe might do more credit and service than twelve fishermen…

Read the full comment on Matthew 8:18-22 →

Matthew 8:21 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.

ἝτεροςHeterosAnotherG2087
δὲdenowG1161
τῶνtōnof theG3588
μαθητῶνmathētōndisciplesG3101
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
εἶπενeipensaidG2036
αὐτῷ·autōto Him;G846
κύριε,kurieLord,G2962
ἐπίτρεψόνepitrepsondo allowG2010
μοιmoimeG3165
πρῶτονprōtonfirstG4413
ἀπελθεῖνapeltheinto goG565
καὶkaiandG2532
θάψαιthapsaito buryG2290
τὸνtontheG3588
πατέραpaterafatherG3962
μου.¶mouof mine.G3165

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

Cross references for Matthew 8:21

  • Luke 9:59-62

    And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

  • Matthew 19:29

    And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

  • Leviticus 21:11-12

    Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord.

  • Numbers 6:6-7

    All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.

  • 1 Kings 19:20-21

    And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

  • Haggai 1:2

    Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.

  • Deuteronomy 33:9-10

    Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:16

    Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
another.
Lu 9:59-62
suffer.
19:29; Le 21:11,12; Nu 6:6,7; De 33:9,10; 1Ki 19:20,21; Hag 1:2
2Co 5:16

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

Context

  • Matthew 8:20

    And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

  • Matthew 8:21

    And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

  • Matthew 8:22

    But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Read all of Matthew 8

Matthew 8:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y otro de sus discípulos le dijo: Señor, dame licencia para que vaya primero, y entierre á mi padre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et un autre de ses disciples lui dit: Seigneur, permets-moi de m’en aller premièrement et d’ensevelir mon père.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ein anderer aber von seinen Jüngern sprach zu ihm: Herr, erlaube mir, zuvor hinzugehen und meinen Vater zu begraben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Alius autem de discipulis ejus ait illi: Domine, permitte me primum ire, et sepelire patrem meum.