Matthew 12 13

Matthew 12:13 kjv

Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

Matthew 12:13 nkjv

Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.

Matthew 12:13 niv

Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.

Matthew 12:13 esv

Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.

Matthew 12:13 nlt

Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one!

Matthew 12 13 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Mk 3:5And looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.Parallel account of the same healing.
Lk 6:10And looking around at them all, He said to him, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored whole.Parallel account, emphasizing full restoration.
Mt 8:3And Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.Immediate, powerful healing by Jesus.
Mt 9:6-7But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins… "Rise, pick up your bed, and go home." And he rose…Jesus's authority demonstrated through healing.
Mk 2:27-28And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."Jesus's teaching on Sabbath's true purpose.
Lk 13:14-16The synagogue ruler…indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath…Jesus answered them, "You hypocrites…ought not this woman…be loosed on the Sabbath day?"Healing on Sabbath, clashing with religious leaders.
Lk 14:3-5And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?"…And He took him and healed him…Another example of healing on the Sabbath.
Jn 5:8-9Jesus said to him, "Get up, pick up your mat and walk." Immediately the man became well, and picked up his mat and began to walk.Instantaneous healing, controversy over Sabbath.
Jn 9:6-7…He spat on the ground, and made clay…and anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay…Go, wash in the pool of Siloam…So he went…and came back seeing.Healing through an action, resulting in obedience and sight.
Acts 3:6-8But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!" And grasping him by the right hand, he raised him up…Healing performed through Jesus's authority after His ascension.
Gen 1:3Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.Divine power of command leading to immediate creation.
Psa 33:9For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.God's authoritative word creating reality.
Isa 35:5-6Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy…Prophecy of miraculous healing in the Messianic era.
Ez 37:4Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.'"God's word bringing life and restoration.
Matt 10:8"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give."Authority to heal given to disciples.
John 2:5His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."Importance of obedience to Jesus's commands.
Heb 1:3He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.Christ's sustaining power through His word.
Jas 2:22You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected.Faith demonstrated through corresponding action.
1 Pet 2:24…by His wounds you were healed.Spiritual and physical healing through Christ's sacrifice.
Jn 11:43-44And when He had said this, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wraps…Power of Jesus's command over death itself.

Matthew 12 verses

Matthew 12 13 Meaning

Matthew 12:13 narrates an instantaneous healing performed by Jesus on the Sabbath, illustrating His divine authority over creation, sickness, and religious traditions. The verse demonstrates that genuine acts of mercy and the display of God's power supersede a rigid, legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath law. Jesus commanded an impossible act from a man with a withered hand, and upon his immediate obedience, the man was completely and perfectly restored, confirming Jesus as the Son of Man, Lord even of the Sabbath.

Matthew 12 13 Context

Matthew 12:13 occurs within a sequence of confrontational events in Matthew's Gospel, primarily focusing on Jesus's interactions with the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath. The immediate context begins in Mt 12:1 with Jesus's disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, leading to a Pharisaic accusation. Jesus responds by citing biblical examples (David, priests) and declaring that "something greater than the temple is here" and that "the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath" (Mt 12:6, 8). Directly before this verse, Jesus enters a synagogue, where He finds a man with a withered hand (Mt 12:9-10). The Pharisees, testing Him, ask if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath, setting a trap (Mt 12:10). Jesus counters with a parable about rescuing a sheep from a pit on the Sabbath, emphasizing that "it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath" (Mt 12:11-12). Verse 13 then records His action that definitively proves His point and demonstrates His authority, despite the Pharisees' watchful scrutiny. This act of healing not only affirms Jesus's Lordship over the Sabbath but also intensifies the conflict, leading the Pharisees to plot His destruction (Mt 12:14).

Matthew 12 13 Word analysis

  • Then: Greek: Tote (τότε). This temporal conjunction signifies an immediate succession of events. It marks the direct response and action after Jesus's preceding rhetorical question and statement regarding the lawfulness of doing good on the Sabbath.
  • he said: Implies Jesus speaking with authority and intention. It's not a mere suggestion but a command.
  • to the man: Refers to the specific individual previously identified as having a withered (dried up or atrophied) hand (Mt 12:10). This specifies the recipient of the command and the healing.
  • “Stretch out: Greek: Ekteinon (ἔκτεινον), an imperative form of ekteinō (ἐκτείνω), meaning "to stretch out," "extend," or "hold out." This command presents an impossible task for a hand that is withered, requiring the man to act in faith beyond his physical ability. It is a direct test of obedience and faith.
  • your hand.”: Refers to the afflicted hand. The command targets the very source of his disability, challenging the man's physical limitation and highlighting the divine intervention.
  • He stretched it out,: This records the man's immediate obedience to Jesus's command, despite the apparent impossibility. His action demonstrates a crucial element of faith: acting on God's word.
  • and it was restored: Greek: apokatestathē (ἀποκατεστάθη), a form of apokathistēmi (ἀποκαθίστημι), meaning "to restore to its former state," "re-establish," or "bring back completely." This emphasizes the complete and perfect nature of the healing. It wasn't a partial improvement but a full reversal of the withered condition.
  • whole,: Greek: hugiēs (ὑγιής), meaning "sound," "healthy," "well." It confirms the full restoration, indicating no residual weakness or deformity.
  • like the other: This comparative phrase signifies that the healing was absolute and perfect. The previously withered hand became indistinguishable from his healthy hand, providing undeniable proof of the miracle.

Words-group by words-group analysis

  • Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”: This phrase reveals Jesus's authoritative power and the direct, confrontational nature of His command in the presence of hostile observers. The command itself is a demonstration of His divine ability, asking for an action humanly impossible for the man in his condition. It's a verbal act of healing initiating the process through obedience.
  • He stretched it out, and it was restored whole, like the other: This sequence underscores the immediate response to divine command and the instantaneous, perfect efficacy of Jesus's healing power. The man's obedience (faith in action) is met with supernatural transformation. "Restored whole" highlights the comprehensive nature of God's restorative work, and "like the other" provides a definitive, verifiable measure of that perfect restoration. This phrase powerfully illustrates the visible impact of Christ's dominion over sickness and infirmity, affirming His identity as the Messiah.

Matthew 12 13 Bonus section

The miracle in Matthew 12:13, along with the preceding Sabbath controversies, clearly articulates a major theological shift under Jesus: a move from rigid adherence to ceremonial law to an emphasis on the heart of the Law—love for God and neighbor, and the practice of mercy. The "withered hand" can symbolize not only physical incapacitation but also spiritual barrenness or the inability to do good works, which is then made fruitful by divine intervention. Jesus performing this healing publicly in the synagogue directly challenges the religious authorities' sphere of influence and their interpretation of God's will. The healing act itself is a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies that speak of the Messiah bringing healing and restoring creation (Isa 29:18-19, 35:5-6). It's a glimpse into the Kingdom of God, where righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit reign, and where true rest (Sabbath) is found in Christ. This event further illustrates that Jesus's power does not require physical contact (as seen in some other healings); His spoken word alone is sufficient, demonstrating omnipresence and omnipotence (Lk 7:7-10).

Matthew 12 13 Commentary

Matthew 12:13 is a powerful microcosm of Jesus's ministry, demonstrating His divine authority (Mark 1:27, 2:10-11) and His lordship over the Sabbath. Faced with the legalistic traps of the Pharisees, Jesus chooses direct, confrontational action that exposes their hypocrisy (Mt 12:7). The command to "stretch out your hand" serves as more than just an instruction; it's a call to an act of faith (Jas 2:26) for the man who seemingly could not comply. His immediate obedience, despite his physical limitation, is met with an instantaneous and complete healing. This is not merely physical restoration but a public declaration of Jesus's compassion and power (Mt 9:35) that prioritizes human well-being over rigid interpretations of the law. The phrase "restored whole, like the other" emphasizes the perfection and indisputable nature of the miracle, leaving no room for doubt or questioning the extent of the healing. It underscores Jesus's identity as the Christ, whose very word brings about complete restoration (Psa 107:20). The healing is a profound teaching moment, revealing that the true spirit of the Sabbath is one of mercy, life, and good (Mt 12:12), fulfilling God's heart (Hos 6:6) rather than man-made rules (Mk 7:8-9). This act, while demonstrating Jesus's redemptive power, ironically cements the Pharisees' opposition (Mt 12:14), revealing their hearts were hardened (Mk 3:5).