Matthew 10:33 kjv
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 10:33 nkjv
But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:33 niv
But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
Matthew 10:33 esv
but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:33 nlt
But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
Matthew 10 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 12:8-9 | “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge... but whoever denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” | Parallel teaching, divine judgment. |
| Rom 10:9-10 | “...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” | Importance of oral confession for salvation. |
| 2 Tim 2:12 | “if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;” | Consequences of denial, linkage to endurance. |
| 2 Tim 2:13 | “if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” | God's faithfulness, contrast with human faithlessness. |
| Mk 8:38 | “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” | Shame leading to denial, consequences at judgment. |
| Lk 9:26 | “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” | Another parallel on being ashamed. |
| 1 Jn 2:23 | “No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.” | Denying Jesus equates to not having the Father. |
| Jude 1:4 | “For certain people have crept in unnoticed... ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” | Warning against those who deny Christ. |
| 2 Pet 2:1 | “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.” | False teachers denying the Lord. |
| Tit 1:16 | “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.” | Denial by actions, not just words. |
| Mt 7:23 | “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” | Jesus's denial of those not truly known by Him. |
| Mt 10:28 | “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” | Immediate context: Fear God, not man. |
| Prov 29:25 | “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” | Directly relates to fear of denial for safety. |
| Phil 2:11 | “...and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” | Universal future confession of Christ's Lordship. |
| Rev 3:5 | “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” | Positive promise for confessing Christ's name. |
| 1 Jn 4:15 | “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” | Blessing of confession: divine indwelling. |
| Acts 4:19-20 | “But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.’” | Apostolic courage in public confession despite threat. |
| 1 Pet 3:15 | “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” | Call to be ready to articulate one's faith publicly. |
| Mt 10:32 | “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,” | The preceding verse, stating the positive counterpart. |
| Lk 14:26-27 | “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” | Cost of discipleship, commitment required. |
Matthew 10 verses
Matthew 10 33 Meaning
This verse declares a solemn reciprocal truth: whoever deliberately disowns or repudiates Jesus Christ in the presence of other human beings, Jesus Christ Himself will, in turn, disown that individual before God the Father in heaven. It highlights the profound and eternal consequences of one's public allegiance or denial of Christ, emphasizing the critical importance of confession and steadfastness in faith.
Matthew 10 33 Context
Matthew chapter 10 recounts Jesus commissioning the twelve disciples for their first mission to the lost sheep of Israel. He gives them authority over unclean spirits and sicknesses, but immediately follows this empowerment with stern warnings about the severe opposition and persecution they will face. He tells them they will be "sheep in the midst of wolves," dragged before councils, flogged, hated by all, and betrayed even by family members. This prepares them for a life of discipleship marked by hardship and calls for an uncompromising allegiance to Him. Verses 26-31 emphasize fearing God over men, assuring them that God knows even sparrows falling, and thus their lives are supremely valued. In this flow of teaching, verses 32 and 33 form a crucial pair, contrasting the blessed outcome of acknowledging Jesus with the dire consequence of denying Him. It directly addresses the immense pressure to recant faith under persecution, which the early followers of Christ often faced from both Jewish religious authorities and the Roman Empire.
Matthew 10 33 Word analysis
- But: (Greek: δέ, de) A transitional conjunction, signaling a strong contrast and emphasis on the consequence following the positive statement in Matthew 10:32. It highlights the sharp dichotomy between confession and denial.
- whoever: (Greek: ὅστις, hostis) A pronoun indicating universality; this applies to anyone, emphasizing the individual responsibility of every person concerning their relationship with Christ.
- denies: (Greek: ἀρνήσηται, arnēsomai) This is a powerful and significant verb. It means to repudiate, disown, reject, refuse, or deny a connection/relationship. It implies more than simply failing to speak up; it is an active renunciation, a disavowal of allegiance or a definitive separation. It implies a conscious act, not a moment of weakness that is later repented of. It points to a deep, intentional disassociation from Jesus and His claims.
- me: Refers directly to Jesus Christ – His person, His divine authority, His claims as Son of God, Savior, and Lord. It signifies a denial of who He is and what He represents.
- before men: (Greek: ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, emprosthen tōn anthrōpōn) This phrase is crucial. It stresses the public nature of the denial. It's not about private struggles of faith or doubt, but a public renunciation, often under duress or in the presence of those hostile to Christ. It implies a decision to prioritize human approval or safety over loyalty to Jesus.
- I also: (Greek: κἀγώ, kagō, "I also" or "even I") This indicates a reciprocal action by Jesus, demonstrating divine justice and a clear response to the human action.
- will deny: (Greek: ἀρνήσομαι, arnēsomai) The same verb used earlier, highlighting the direct consequence and the precise nature of Jesus's judgment. The one who denies will be denied. This is an authoritative and final pronouncement from Jesus.
- before my Father: (Greek: ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πατρός μου, emprosthen tou patros mou) This signifies the ultimate tribunal – the final court of judgment where God the Father presides. Jesus, the judge and advocate, will affirm or deny before the supreme authority, determining one's eternal destiny.
- who is in heaven: Emphasizes the divine realm, the ultimate reality, and the transcendent authority of God. It underlines that this denial carries eternal, heavenly implications, not just earthly ones.
- whoever denies me before men: This phrase defines the specific act that leads to dire consequences. It speaks of a public, conscious, and volitional repudiation of Christ's identity and claims, often driven by fear of persecution or desire for worldly acceptance. It is a decision that puts worldly considerations above divine allegiance.
- I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven: This is the profound consequence and the nature of divine judgment. Jesus's denial means exclusion from the Kingdom of God and eternal salvation, rendered before the ultimate divine authority. It's a statement of separation and disownment by Christ Himself at the cosmic level, determining eternal standing.
Matthew 10 33 Bonus section
This verse formed a central pillar in the early church's understanding of martyrdom and confession. In times of severe Roman persecution, believers were often forced to deny Christ, offer sacrifices to the emperor, or face brutal death. For the early Christians, to "deny Christ before men" meant to apostatize under pressure, jeopardizing one's eternal standing. The gravity of this statement, therefore, provided strength to those contemplating suffering for their faith and solidified the theological conviction that external confession, as a demonstration of internal conviction, has ultimate spiritual consequences. It directly challenges the temptation to "hide one's light" for personal gain or safety and serves as a continuous call to bold, unwavering witness in all generations.
Matthew 10 33 Commentary
Matthew 10:33 is a solemn warning to the disciples and all who would follow Christ, particularly those facing pressure and persecution. It asserts that true faith demands public allegiance to Jesus, even at great personal cost. The "denial" here is not a mere slip of the tongue or a momentary lapse of courage, but a deliberate act of renunciation or disavowal of one's relationship with Christ, often to avoid suffering or to gain advantage. Such an act demonstrates a fundamental lack of faith or an ultimate preference for worldly safety over eternal salvation. Christ promises a perfect reciprocity: as one acts towards Him on earth before human witnesses, so He will act towards that individual before His Father in heaven, the ultimate judge. This verse underscores that salvation is not merely an intellectual assent but requires an enduring and public commitment to Jesus's Lordship, understanding that compromise in the face of the world's hostility results in spiritual catastrophe.