Matthew 13 48

Matthew 13:48 kjv

Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

Matthew 13:48 nkjv

which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.

Matthew 13:48 niv

When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.

Matthew 13:48 esv

When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

Matthew 13:48 nlt

When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away.

Matthew 13 verses

Matthew 13 48 Meaning

This verse, part of the Parable of the Net, vividly portrays the final act of separation and judgment at the close of the age. Just as fishermen sort their catch, the righteous are meticulously gathered into vessels, representing preservation in God's eternal kingdom. Conversely, the wicked are decisively cast away, symbolizing their exclusion and destruction. The scene underscores the ultimate, definitive division of humanity, where all hidden aspects are revealed and assessed for their true spiritual state.

Matthew 13 48 Context

Matthew chapter 13 is rich in parables, with Jesus teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven. Following the Parable of the Sower (seed and soils) and its interpretation, Jesus provides four parables to His disciples privately: the Wheat and Tares, the Hidden Treasure, the Pearl of Great Price, and finally, the Net. This specific verse, Mt 13:48, belongs to the Parable of the Net (Mt 13:47-50), which concludes the series of parables delivered to the disciples. This parable directly parallels the explanation of the Wheat and Tares parable (Mt 13:36-43), explicitly foretelling a future time of separation and final judgment for humanity. Historically, fishing was a widespread and understood activity around the Sea of Galilee, making the imagery of a dragnet and subsequent sorting immediately relatable to the original audience, who also understood cultural practices distinguishing "clean" from "unclean" for consumption or spiritual purity (e.g., Lev 11:9-12 for water creatures).

Matthew 13 48 Word analysis

• which, when it was full (ὅτε ἐπληρώθη - hote eplērōthē): hote ("when"): Signifies a specific point in time, indicating the predetermined timing of this event, not a continuous process. eplērōthē ("it was filled"): From plēroō, meaning to fill, complete, accomplish. Implies that the net's capacity was reached or that the time appointed for gathering was fulfilled, leading to the necessary next stage of sorting. Figuratively points to the consummation or completion of the age.
• they drew to shore (ἀναβιβασάντες ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλόν - anabibasantes epi ton aigialon): anabibasantes ("drawing up"): Action of hauling something out of water. This represents the agents of judgment, often angels as explained in Mt 13:49. aigialon ("shore"): The beach or coastline. Symbolically, the "sea" represents the world of humanity (Rev 17:15, Isa 57:20), and "shore" represents the boundary or "end of the age" where judgment takes place, outside the turbulent world.
• and sat down (καθίσαντες - kathisantes): From kathizō, "to sit down." This is not a casual act. Sitting in ancient cultures, especially for official matters, indicated a posture of authority, deliberation, and judgment (Ps 9:7-8). It conveys the solemn, intentional, and authoritative nature of the coming judgment.
• and gathered the good into vessels (συνέλεξαν τὰ καλά εἰς ἄγγη - synelexan ta kala eis aggē): synelexan ("gathered together"): Denotes selection and assembly. kala ("good"): Refers to fish that are fit for consumption, valuable, pure, or beneficial. Spiritually, it signifies those who are genuinely righteous, children of the kingdom, producing fruit of true faith (Mt 7:17, Jas 2:20-22). aggē ("vessels"): Containers for storage, preserving what is valuable. Symbolizes the eternal dwelling places or safety in God's kingdom, where the righteous will be preserved (Jn 14:2-3).
• but cast the bad away (τὰ δὲ σαπρά ἔξω ἔβαλλον - ta de sapra exō eballon): de ("but"): Introduces a direct contrast. sapra ("bad"): Opposite of kala. Meaning rotten, putrid, useless, worthless. This is not merely "not good" but actively "corrupt." Spiritually, these are the wicked, the "sons of the evil one" (Mt 13:38), whose lives do not bear true fruit (Mt 7:19). exō ("away"): "Outside." Implies exclusion, separation, removal from the presence of God or the community of the saved. eballon ("they cast"): From ballō, "to throw." The imperfect tense suggests a continuous or repeated action, emphasizing the thoroughness and finality of the rejection, with no possibility of recovery or return.

• "when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down": This phrase highlights the completion of a specific period (the age) and the subsequent deliberate, authoritative action of bringing all gathered people (like the fish in the net) to the point of evaluation and judgment. It speaks of divine timing and sovereignty in the judgment process.
• "gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away": This concisely illustrates the binary outcome of the final judgment. There is no middle ground or third option; every individual falls into one of these two categories, and their destiny is determined accordingly, with stark and irreversible consequences. It stresses the active segregation by divine agents.

Matthew 13 48 Bonus section

This parable provides a counter-point to a "universalist" view of salvation, affirming a clear and definitive separation between two destinies. It emphasizes personal accountability for one's spiritual condition, regardless of outward association with a religious community. The lack of detailed criteria for "good" and "bad" fish within the parable itself focuses the audience not on how one is judged, but that one is judged and the absolute finality of the judgment. The separation process highlights the precision and thoroughness of God's ultimate discernment, leaving no ambiguity regarding individual standing before Him at the end of days.

Matthew 13 48 Commentary

Matthew 13:48 delivers a sobering message about the end-time judgment. It reinforces themes previously seen in the Wheat and Tares parable: the inevitable co-existence of true believers and nominal ones within the visible "field" or "net" (the world or the broad community claiming connection to God), followed by a decisive separation. The full net signifies the culmination of history or the end of the age when God's patient allowance of good and evil to grow together ceases. The "drawing to shore" signifies bringing all of humanity before the divine tribunal. The act of "sitting down" underscores the deliberate, judicial authority with which the sorting occurs. "Good" and "bad" are not determined by human opinion but by God's perfect standard of righteousness. The good are "gathered into vessels," signifying preservation, security, and entrance into the fullness of the kingdom. The bad are "cast away," signifying irreversible rejection, exclusion from God's presence, and eternal destruction, as implied by the furnace of fire mentioned in the parable's interpretation (Mt 13:50). This parable is a powerful warning against complacent association with the visible church without genuine transformation and an assurance of God's perfect justice and final vindication of the righteous.