Matthew 12:30 kjv
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Matthew 12:30 nkjv
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.
Matthew 12:30 niv
"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Matthew 12:30 esv
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Matthew 12:30 nlt
"Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.
Matthew 12 30 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 11:23 | "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather...scatters." | Direct parallel emphasizing the absolute nature of allegiance to Jesus. |
| Dt 30:19-20 | "...choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD..." | Choice between two paths: life through obedience, or destruction through disloyalty. |
| Josh 24:15 | "choose this day whom you will serve..." | Imperative choice to serve the Lord, no compromise with idols. |
| 1 Kgs 18:21 | "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God...if Baal...follow him." | Call for decisive commitment to God, against wavering faith. |
| Mk 9:40 | "For whoever is not against us is for us." | Often seen as contrasting with Mt 12:30; pertains to attitude toward disciples' work, not core allegiance to Jesus. |
| Rom 8:7-8 | "...the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God..." | The unregenerate mind is inherently opposed to God and His law. |
| Jas 4:4 | "...friendship with the world is hostility toward God..." | Warning against dual loyalties and seeking worldly approval over God's. |
| Jn 3:36 | "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son..." | Emphasizes the crucial response of belief or disobedience towards Jesus. |
| Jn 15:5-6 | "...apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me..." | The necessity of continuous communion with Christ for fruitfulness and spiritual life. |
| 1 Jn 2:18-19 | "...many antichrists have come...They went out from us, but they were not..." | Departure from the faith or Christian community indicates a prior lack of true belonging. |
| 2 Cor 6:14-18 | "...what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial?" | Prohibition against unequal yoking and clear distinction between God's people and the world. |
| Gal 1:8-9 | "if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received..." | Strong denunciation of those who oppose or pervert the true gospel of Christ. |
| Matt 6:24 | "No one can serve two masters..." | Exclusive devotion required in serving either God or money, applies spiritually too. |
| Heb 10:25 | "not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some..." | Importance of communal gathering for believers, contrasting with scattering. |
| Ps 106:27 | "to make their descendants fall among the nations, and to scatter them..." | God's judgment involving scattering of His disobedient people among nations. |
| Ezek 34:12 | "...as a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep..." | God's promise to gather His dispersed people, contrasting human scattering. |
| Is 49:5-6 | "that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth." | God's ultimate plan is to gather all peoples through Christ. |
| Jn 10:16 | "I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also..." | Jesus' mission to gather all His sheep into one flock. |
| Mt 23:37 | "...how often would I have gathered your children together...and you were not willing!" | Jesus' sorrow over Jerusalem's rejection of His desire to gather them. |
| Zech 13:7 | "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered..." | Prophecy of scattering following the shepherd's (Jesus') suffering. |
| Mt 18:20 | "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." | Encouragement for believers to gather, acknowledging Christ's presence. |
| Heb 12:14 | "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one..." | Call to actively pursue peace and holiness, not neutrality in action. |
Matthew 12 verses
Matthew 12 30 Meaning
Matthew 12:30 proclaims an absolute dichotomy regarding allegiance to Jesus Christ and participation in His kingdom work: there is no neutral ground. One is either aligned with Him and actively involved in His mission of gathering souls, or one is against Him, resulting in actions that effectively disperse and hinder the advancement of His divine purposes. This verse underscores the necessity of decisive commitment and action in the spiritual realm, emphasizing that passive non-participation amounts to opposition.
Matthew 12 30 Context
This verse (Mt 12:30) is part of Jesus' response to the Pharisees' malicious accusation that He cast out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons (Mt 12:24). This immediate context highlights a spiritual battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Jesus argues logically that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, and therefore He, empowered by the Spirit of God, cannot be casting out demons by Satan's power. Verse 30 encapsulates the ultimate choice necessitated by Jesus' ministry and identity. There is no middle ground between aligning with Jesus' kingdom work—which involves gathering and unifying—and being aligned with forces that oppose it, leading to scattering and division. This statement served as a direct polemic against the neutrality or hidden opposition of the Jewish religious leaders who observed Jesus' miracles but refused to acknowledge His divine authority, effectively standing against Him by not actively supporting His kingdom.
Matthew 12 30 Word analysis
- Whoever (Greek: Hos): This pronoun indicates a universal scope, applying to all people without exception or distinction. It highlights the directness and inclusiveness of Jesus' declaration to any individual hearing or responding to His call.
- is not with me (Greek: ouk estin met' emou):
- Ouk is a strong negative, meaning "absolutely not."
- Estin (from eimi) signifies a state of being.
- Met' emou means "with me" or "on my side." This phrase denotes a fundamental lack of alliance, solidarity, or alignment with Jesus. It's not merely passive absence but a posture that indicates no active support or cooperation.
- is against me (Greek: kat' emou estin):
- Kat' emou means "against me" or "in opposition to me." The preposition kata in this context signifies hostility or adverse action. This reveals that mere absence of alignment is equivalent to active opposition in the spiritual realm of God's kingdom work. Neutrality is exposed as hostility.
- and whoever does not gather with me (Greek: kai ho me synagon met' emou):
- Ho me synagon: "The one not gathering." Synago means "to bring together, collect, assemble." In this context, it refers to the work of gathering people into the Kingdom of God, whether through evangelism, teaching, or unifying the body of believers. This highlights active participation in the building of God's people and purposes.
- scatters (Greek: skorpizei):
- Skorpizei (from skorpizo) means "to scatter, disperse, strew abroad." This is the direct opposite of gathering. It implies disruption, division, disintegration, or causing disarray. Even if unintended, the failure to actively gather for Jesus' kingdom results in, or contributes to, the breaking apart of His work and people, echoing the destructive work of the enemy.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "Whoever is not with me is against me": This foundational statement presents an absolute dichotomy regarding allegiance. In the kingdom of God, there is no third option of neutrality or indifference. Failure to actively support Jesus and His work places one squarely in the opposing camp. This applies to attitude, belief, and fundamental alignment of will. It forces a clear decision about one's ultimate master and loyalty.
- "and whoever does not gather with me scatters": This second part extends the principle of the first into the realm of action and consequence. It moves beyond passive allegiance to active participation. "Gathering" refers to the spiritual mission of assembling people into the church and into Christ's fellowship. "Scattering" implies counterproductive actions, division, or allowing souls to drift away from Christ. If one is not actively involved in building and unifying for the kingdom, one is implicitly, through inaction or misdirected action, contributing to its disintegration or preventing its expansion.
Matthew 12 30 Bonus section
This verse carries significant implications for understanding the nature of spiritual warfare. Jesus, having just demonstrated power over demonic forces, implies that every person stands on one side of a spiritual battle. There is no non-combatant status. Moreover, it underscores the corporate aspect of Christ's mission; believers are called to be actively involved in bringing people together under Christ's Lordship, rather than living isolated lives that fail to contribute to the growth and unity of the Body. It implicitly challenges notions of passive faith or individualistic Christianity that neglect the call to evangelism and communal gathering.
Matthew 12 30 Commentary
Matthew 12:30 is a potent declaration by Jesus, emphasizing the non-negotiable nature of allegiance to Him and active participation in His kingdom. Born out of a direct confrontation with the Pharisees' rejection, this verse leaves no room for spiritual neutrality; silence or inaction is equated with opposition. Jesus highlights that His mission is inherently one of gathering souls for God's kingdom. Therefore, anyone who does not actively contribute to this unifying, life-giving work—be it through preaching, teaching, serving, or living a life aligned with Christ—is, by default or consequence, obstructing it. This scattering can be through sowing discord, leading people astray, or simply failing to bring them into the fold. The verse calls for an intentional, undivided commitment, demonstrating that genuine faith is inherently active and that one's ultimate stance towards Jesus impacts whether they build up or tear down His eternal work.