Matthew 10:31 kjv
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:31 nkjv
Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:31 niv
So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:31 esv
Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:31 nlt
So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
Matthew 10 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 6:26 | "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" | God cares for nature; His children are valued higher. |
| Lk 12:6-7 | "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God... You are worth more than many sparrows." | Identical teaching in Luke; God's remembrance and valuation. |
| Mt 10:29-30 | "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father... even the hairs of your head are all numbered." | Immediate context of divine omniscience and minute care. |
| Ps 8:4-6 | "What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels..." | Human dignity and worth in creation, divinely ordained. |
| Ps 37:25 | "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread." | God's faithfulness to provide for His own. |
| Ps 139:17-18 | "How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!... If I were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand..." | God's thoughts and knowledge are constant and vast concerning us. |
| Isa 41:10 | "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you..." | Direct command to not fear, backed by God's presence and help. |
| Jer 29:11 | "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." | God's benevolent and pre-ordained plans for His people. |
| Lk 12:4-5 | "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more... But fear Him who, after killing the body, has power to throw you into hell." | Contrasts fear of man with appropriate fear of God. |
| Rom 8:28 | "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." | God's overarching purpose working through all circumstances. |
| Rom 8:38-39 | "For I am convinced that neither death nor life... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God..." | Unbreakable nature of God's love and care for believers. |
| Phil 4:6-7 | "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God..." | Remedy for anxiety: prayer and trust leading to divine peace. |
| 1 Pet 5:7 | "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." | Explicit instruction to surrender worries to God because He cares. |
| Gen 1:26-27 | "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness...' So God created mankind in His own image..." | Humanity's unique dignity and value, being made in God's image. |
| Job 38:41 | "Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?" | God's provision extends even to the least of creatures. |
| Ps 56:11 | "In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" | Courage stemming from trust in God over man. |
| Heb 2:6-8 | "What is mankind that you are mindful of them...? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor..." | Reiterates Ps 8; human preeminence and future glory in Christ. |
| Ps 121:3-4 | "He will not let your foot slip—He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." | God's constant, never-failing vigilance and protection. |
| Deut 31:6 | "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified... for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” | Exhortation to fear not, founded on God's unwavering presence. |
| Jn 14:1 | "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me." | Jesus' command to combat inner turmoil with faith in God. |
| Ps 23:1 | "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." | God's providential care ensures sufficiency and removes want. |
| Ps 118:6 | "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" | Confidence and fearlessness rooted in God's companionship. |
Matthew 10 verses
Matthew 10 31 Meaning
Matthew 10:31 serves as a profound assurance from Jesus to His disciples, emphasizing God's meticulous and immense care for them. It directly follows the illustration of sparrows, asserting that if God values something as seemingly insignificant as a common bird, He holds His followers in far greater esteem. Therefore, there is no logical basis for disciples to fear human threats, rejection, or any earthly harm, as their heavenly Father’s watchful eye and protective hand are upon them. This verse underscores the supreme value of each believer in God's sight, offering a deep wellspring of peace and courage in the face of tribulation.
Matthew 10 31 Context
Matthew 10 describes Jesus dispatching His twelve disciples on their first mission trip, commissioning them to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom, heal the sick, and cast out demons. Knowing the immense challenges and fierce opposition they would face—including persecution from families, religious authorities, and governments—Jesus prepared them with warnings and promises. The immediate context of Matthew 10:31 begins in verse 26, where Jesus encourages His disciples not to fear those who can only kill the body but rather to fear God, who can destroy both soul and body. He illustrates God's intricate knowledge and care in verses 29-30, noting that not even a single sparrow falls without God's knowledge and that every hair on their heads is numbered. Matthew 10:31 is the logical conclusion to these specific reassurances, forming a critical encouragement for disciples facing severe adversity, persecution, and even death for their faith. It underpins the call to bold proclamation and unwavering loyalty despite earthly dangers.
Matthew 10 31 Word analysis
- Fear not (μὴ φοβηθῆτε - mē phobēthēte): This is a strong negative command in Greek, prohibiting the continuation of an action (present tense with negative particle μὴ, mē). It is an exhortation to cease the emotional state of being afraid. This command is frequent throughout scripture, consistently coupled with reasons for trust in God.
- therefore (οὖν - oun): This conjunction denotes a logical conclusion or inference. Because God meticulously cares for something as insignificant as sparrows and is aware of every hair on one's head (as stated in Mt 10:29-30), the conclusion naturally follows: fear is unfounded for those whom He values even more.
- ye are: Implies identity, inherent existence, and personal relationship. It addresses the disciples directly, confirming their distinct status before God.
- of more value (πολλοῦ μᾶλλον - pollou mallon): Literally "much more." This phrase emphasizes a qualitative and quantitative superiority in worth. It indicates not just "more," but "far more" or "certainly much more" precious. This highlights the immense disproportion between the value of a sparrow and a human life in God's estimation.
- than many sparrows (περισσότεροι στρουθίων πολλῶν - perissoteroi strouthion pollōn):
- sparrows (στρουθίων - strouthion): Refers to small, common birds, which were inexpensive and abundant in the ancient world (e.g., two for a penny, five for two pennies in Lk 12:6). They serve as the baseline for comparison, representing things considered negligible or having little worldly cost.
- many (πολλῶν - pollōn): The addition of "many" emphasizes the scale of the comparison. Even if numerous sparrows were grouped, their collective value is far outweighed by that of a single individual disciple in God's eyes. It magnifies the worth of the disciples by contrasting it with something common and numerous.
Matthew 10 31 Bonus section
The seemingly trivial details mentioned by Jesus – sparrows falling, hairs numbered – underscore God's omniscience and omnipresence. It's not just a general care, but an incredibly intimate and particular attention to each individual. This is a profound contrast to pagan deities, who were often distant or indifferent to human suffering. The passage implicitly urges a 'reverent fear' of God (as seen in Matthew 10:28) as the only legitimate fear, which then abolishes all lesser, crippling fears of man or circumstance. The polloū mallon (much more) principle, applied repeatedly by Jesus in His teaching (e.g., Mt 6:30; Lk 11:13), establishes an unassailable logical argument for God's overwhelming care for His children, deriving from His consistent care for His lesser creation. This ensures that no tribulation or perceived insignificance of the believer can separate them from the Father's all-encompassing love and protection.
Matthew 10 31 Commentary
Matthew 10:31 is a powerful cornerstone of assurance in the face of anxiety and opposition. Jesus leverages an everyday observation—the cheapness and commonality of sparrows—to build an unassailable truth about God’s extravagant care. The core message is divine providence and the supreme worth God places on His image-bearers, particularly those who follow Him. This value is not earned but bestowed, rooted in God's very nature as a loving and attentive Father. Therefore, fear, especially the fear of what man can do, is an affront to the magnitude of God’s care. Disciples are called to courageous living and bold witness, knowing that their lives, in every detail, are securely held in the benevolent and powerful hand of God. This security grants freedom from anxiety and empowers steadfastness through trials. For practical application, this verse prompts believers to examine where their ultimate security lies, cultivating a posture of trusting faith over worry and acknowledging God’s sovereignty even amidst personal struggle or global uncertainty. It empowers active service, knowing that every effort for the Kingdom, however small, is seen and eternally valued by the Father.