Matthew 10:35 kjv
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Matthew 10:35 nkjv
For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law';
Matthew 10:35 niv
For I have come to turn "?'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law?
Matthew 10:35 esv
For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Matthew 10:35 nlt
'I have come to set a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Matthew 10 35 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 12:51-53 | Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division... | Parallel passage emphasizing division. |
| Mic 7:6 | For the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises against her mother... | OT prophecy foreshadowing familial breakdown. |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing... | The Word of God as an instrument of division. |
| Jn 7:43 | So there was a division among the people over him. | Division arising from people's response to Jesus. |
| Jn 9:16 | Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God..." Others said, "How can a sinful man do such signs?" So there was a division among them. | Division among religious leaders regarding Jesus. |
| Acts 14:4 | But the people of the city were divided, some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. | The Gospel causing division among populations. |
| Acts 23:7-10 | And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. | The truth causing division among religious factions. |
| Jn 15:18-19 | "If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you... because you are not of the world..." | Worldly rejection and spiritual separation. |
| Mt 10:37 | Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me... | Supreme allegiance to Christ over family. |
| Lk 14:26 | "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother... he cannot be my disciple." | Radical comparative loyalty demanded by Jesus. |
| Mt 16:24-25 | "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." | The personal cost of discipleship. |
| Phil 3:7-8 | But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss... | Valuing Christ above all earthly attachments. |
| Gal 1:10 | For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. | Choosing God's approval over human approval. |
| Deut 33:9 | He said of his father and mother, ‘I regard them not’... | Priestly devotion to God's law above family. |
| Lk 9:59-60 | Another said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead." | Prioritizing kingdom duties over family duties. |
| Jn 14:27 | Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. | True spiritual peace distinct from worldly peace. |
| Rom 5:1 | Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. | Peace with God is found through Christ, leading to division with world. |
| Eph 2:14 | For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility... | Christ unites, but His truth also distinguishes. |
Matthew 10 verses
Matthew 10 35 Meaning
This verse illuminates a profound and often challenging consequence of following Jesus: His mission, while ultimately bringing peace with God, would inevitably lead to division and conflict within the most intimate human relationships, even families. This is not His desired outcome of conflict, but rather the unavoidable result when the truth of the Gospel compels supreme allegiance to Him, confronting differing loyalties and beliefs, particularly those deeply embedded within traditional social and familial structures.
Matthew 10 35 Context
Matthew 10:35 is part of Jesus' charge to His twelve disciples before sending them out for their first mission. The immediate preceding verse, Matthew 10:34, sets the tone by explicitly stating, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." Verse 35 then explains what this "sword" entails – division within families. This discourse warns the disciples of the persecution, rejection, and profound social disruptions that allegiance to Christ would bring. In Jewish society, family loyalty and unity were paramount, central to identity, security, and religious heritage. Challenging these foundational bonds with a call for ultimate loyalty to Christ would have been a profoundly counter-cultural and jarring message for the original audience, highlighting the radical and demanding nature of discipleship that transcends all earthly ties.
Matthew 10 35 Word analysis
- For (γὰρ - gar): This strong causal conjunction links directly back to the shocking declaration in the preceding verse (Mt 10:34). It indicates that what follows is the explanation or reason for why Jesus "did not come to bring peace, but a sword." The division within families is a primary manifestation of this sword.
- I have come (ἦλθον - ēlthon): This is a deliberate and purposeful statement. Jesus uses the aorist tense, signifying a completed action with lasting results. It underscores His divine intent and sovereign purpose, implying that this outcome is an inherent, though often painful, aspect of His mission. It is not an accident but an unavoidable consequence.
- to set... against (διχάσαι... κατὰ - dichasai... kata):
- διχάσαι (dichasai): This Greek word means "to divide," "to split," or "to set at variance." It comes from a root suggesting cutting something in two. It highlights a sharp, decisive separation. This division is not mere disagreement but a fundamental schism that arises when the truth of the Gospel forces a choice.
- κατὰ (kata): Meaning "against," this preposition denotes direct opposition or conflict. It signifies that the relationships will be antagonistic, no longer aligned but opposed due to differing allegiances to Christ.
- a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: These specific familial pairings are chosen for their depth of traditional closeness and social dependence in ancient society. The list covers generational and marital ties within a household, emphasizing that the "sword" penetrates even the most sacred and protective bonds. It demonstrates the radical demand of discipleship that reorders primary loyalties. The reference is particularly pointed as a fulfillment of Mic 7:6, a prophetic depiction of societal decay leading to internal family strife.
- "For I have come to set...": This phrase underlines Jesus' sovereign action and the intentional, though paradoxical, nature of His mission's immediate impact. His coming, bringing the ultimate truth, inevitably brings conflict when that truth challenges existing allegiances.
- "to set a man against his father... and a daughter against her mother... and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law": This specific enumeration highlights the complete rupture of core familial units. In a patriarchal society where family identity and unity were foundational, this pronouncement was shockingly disruptive. It signals that spiritual allegiance to Christ must supersede even the most primal and cherished blood ties and societal expectations, even at the cost of immense personal pain and social ostracism.
Matthew 10 35 Bonus section
The specified familial relationships (father/son, mother/daughter, mother-in-law/daughter-in-law) are precisely those identified in Micah 7:6, emphasizing Jesus' direct fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy depicting profound social breakdown and a period of spiritual crisis or judgment. This verse underlines that devotion to Christ requires a higher fidelity that transcends and, if necessary, overrides every other human tie. It is a stark warning that while Jesus is the Prince of Peace, His advent initiates an era where His truth challenges all comfortable assumptions, leading to internal family friction as a necessary consequence of His claims upon individual lives. The radical demand for ultimate allegiance would have been culturally shocking in a context where honoring parents was a divine commandment and familial unity was paramount.
Matthew 10 35 Commentary
Matthew 10:35 concisely explains the disruptive impact of Jesus' mission on human relationships. Far from fostering an easy peace, the truth He brings inevitably generates division. This "sword" is the Word of God, which compels ultimate allegiance to Christ. When some within a family embrace Christ while others reject Him, the chasm created by spiritual conviction overrides even the strongest natural affections. This verse does not advocate for familial discord but forewarns of its unavoidable occurrence when loyalties are redefined by the call of the Gospel, demanding that Christ be placed above all, even the dearest human bonds. It reveals the absolute and radical nature of true discipleship.