Matthew 9 · Verse 12

Matthew 9:12

But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
Matthew 9:12, King James Version

Matthew 9:12 in other translations

BSBOn hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
WEBWhen Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.
ASVBut when he heard it, he said, They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.
YLTAnd Jesus having heard, said to them, ‘They who are whole have no need of a physician, but they who are ill;
DARBYBut Jesus hearing it, said, They that are strong have not need of a physician, but those that are ill.
BBEBut on hearing this he said, Those who are well have no need of a medical man, but those who are ill.
WebsterBut when Jesus heard that, he said to them, They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are sick.

What does Matthew 9:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them--to the Pharisees and scribes; addressing Himself to them, though they had shrunk from addressing Him. They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick--that is, "Ye deem yourselves whole; My mission, therefore, is not to you: The physician's business is with the sick; therefore eat I with publicans and sinners." Oh, what myriads of broken hearts, of sin-sick souls, have been bound up by this matchless saying!

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. They that be whole, etc. Jesus, in reply, said that the whole needed not a physician. Sick persons only needed his aid. A physician would not commonly be found with those that were in health. His proper place was among the sick. So, says he, "If you Pharisees are such as you think yourselves, already pure and holy, you do not need my aid. It would be of no use to you, and you would not thank me for it. With those persons who fed that they are sinners I may be useful; and there is my proper place." Or, the expression may mean, "I came on purpose to save sinners. My business is with them. There are none righteous; and as a physician is in his proper place with the sick, so am I with guilty and miserable sinners."

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 They that be whole need not a physician - A common proverb, which none could either misunderstand or misapply. Of it the reader may make the following use: - 1. Jesus Christ represents himself here as the sovereign Physician of souls. 2. That all stand in need of his healing power. 3. That men must acknowledge their spiritual maladies, and the need they have of his mercy, in order to be healed by him. 4. That it is the most inveterate and dangerous disease the soul can be afflicted with to imagine itself whole, when the sting of death, which is sin, has pierced it through in every part, infusing its poison every where.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 9:10-13

Some time after his call, Matthew sought to bring his old associates to hear Christ. He knew by experience what the grace of Christ could do, and would not despair concerning them. Those who are effectually brought to Christ, cannot but desire that others also may be brought to him. Those who suppose their souls to be without disease will not welcome the spiritual Physician. This was the case with the Pharisees…

Read the full comment on Matthew 9:10-13 →

Matthew 9:12 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.

ὁho<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἀκούσαςakousashaving heardG191
εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036
οὐouNotG3756
χρείανchreianneedG5532
ἔχουσινechousinhaveG2192
οἱhoithoseG3588
ἰσχύοντεςischuontesbeing strongG2480
ἰατροῦiatrouof a physicianG2395
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
οἱhoithoseG3588
κακῶςkakōssickG2560
ἔχοντες.echontesbeing.G2192

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

Cross references for Matthew 9:12

  • Luke 5:31

    And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

  • Revelation 3:17-18

    Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

  • Jeremiah 33:6

    Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

  • Luke 9:11

    And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

  • Mark 2:17

    When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

  • Psalms 147:3

    He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

  • Jeremiah 17:14

    Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

  • Hosea 14:4

    I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

  • Jeremiah 30:17

    For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.

  • Psalms 41:4

    I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

  • Luke 8:43

    And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

  • Psalms 6:2

    Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
They that be whole.
Ps 6:2; 41:4; 147:3; Jer 17:14; 30:17; 33:6; Ho 14:4; Mr 2:17; Lu 5:31
Lu 8:43; 9:11; 18:11-13; Ro 7:9-24; Re 3:17,18

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

Context

  • Matthew 9:11

    And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

  • Matthew 9:12

    But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

  • Matthew 9:13

    But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Read all of Matthew 9

Matthew 9:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y oyéndolo Jesús, les dijo: Los que están sanos no tienen necesidad de médico, sino los enfermos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Jésus, l’ayant entendu, leur dit: Ceux qui sont en bonne santé n’ont pas besoin de médecin, mais ceux qui se portent mal.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als aber Jesus es hörte, sprach er: Die Starken bedürfen nicht eines Arztes, sondern die Kranken.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		At Jesus audiens, ait: Non est opus valentibus medicus, sed male habentibus.