Matthew 21 13

Matthew 21:13 kjv

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Matthew 21:13 nkjv

And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "

Matthew 21:13 niv

"It is written," he said to them, "?'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'"

Matthew 21:13 esv

He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers."

Matthew 21:13 nlt

He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!"

Matthew 21 verses

Matthew 21 13 Meaning

The verse records Jesus' fervent declaration within the Temple, starkly contrasting its divine intent—to be a holy sanctuary dedicated to universal prayer and communion with God—with its present defiled state. He condemns the profanation of this sacred space by commercial activities that had transformed it into a place of exploitation and dishonest gain, essentially a "den of thieves," thereby neglecting its consecrated purpose for genuine worship.

Matthew 21 13 Context

This declaration by Jesus forms a pivotal moment within the final week of His earthly ministry, following His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21:1-11). Known as the "Temple cleansing," it marks a direct confrontation with the established religious authorities and their practices. The Temple, particularly the Court of the Gentiles, had become a marketplace for money changers (exchanging foreign currency for the required Temple currency) and sellers of sacrificial animals. While necessary for pilgrims, the practices were rife with exploitation, inflated prices, and desecration of the sacred space. This noise and commercialism also impeded the ability of non-Jewish worshipers to pray in their designated area. Jesus' act of overturning tables and His verbal indictment underscore His divine zeal for God's house and His authoritative judgment against the distortion of true worship and justice by the Jewish leadership. It signals the impending shift from the physical Temple to a new, spiritual order inaugurated by Him.

Matthew 21 13 Word analysis

• And said unto them: Jesus' immediate, public, and direct confrontation with the temple occupants and authorities, demonstrating prophetic zeal and divine authority.

• It is written: Greek: gegraptai (γέγραπται). A perfect passive indicative, emphasizing the completed past action of God's Word being recorded and its abiding, unchangeable truth and authority for all time. Jesus bases His actions not on personal opinion but on divine Scripture.

• My house: Greek: oikos mou (οἶκος μου). Refers to the Temple. The possessive "My" (μου) points to God's ultimate ownership. Jesus' identification with this divine ownership subtly underscores His own divine nature and authority as God's Son.

• shall be called: Greek: klēthēsetai (κληθήσεται). Future passive indicative, indicating God's pre-ordained, unalterable purpose and designation for the Temple's identity. It is what God decreed it to be.

• the house of prayer: Greek: oikos proseuchēs (οἶκος προσευχῆς). A direct quote from Isa 56:7. Emphasizes prayer (proseuchē) as the primary purpose of the Temple—a place for intimate, sincere communion with God for all peoples, contrasting with mere ritual or commerce.

• but: Greek: alla (ἀλλά). A strong adversative conjunction, sharply contrasting God's holy intention with the profaned reality created by human action.

• ye: Direct accusation leveled at the perpetrators—the money changers, sellers, and implicitly, the religious authorities who permitted or profited from these practices.

• have made it: Greek: epeiesate (ἐποιήσατε). Aorist active indicative, highlighting their deliberate, direct, and culpable action in perverting the Temple's sacred purpose.

• a den: Greek: spēlaion (σπήλαιον). Signifies a "cave," "lair," or hiding place, used in the sense of a secret meeting spot for criminals. This evokes images of darkness, secrecy, and criminal enterprise, completely antithetical to God's presence.

• of thieves: Greek: lēstōn (λῃστῶν). Refers to brigands or robbers, implying violent, exploitative, and criminal behavior, rather than mere merchants. This charge extends beyond simple economic activity to grave moral and spiritual corruption within the Temple system.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer": This phrase functions as Jesus' authoritative appeal to divine mandate, rooted in Old Testament prophecy (Isa 56:7). By citing Scripture, Jesus unequivocally declares God's original, enduring design for the Temple as a universally accessible sanctuary centered on prayer and true spiritual communion, providing the divine standard against which its current state is measured.
  • "but ye have made it a den of thieves": This constitutes Jesus' severe indictment and prophetic judgment. Drawing from Jeremiah 7:11, He contrasts the intended "house of prayer" with a place overrun by dishonest gain and exploitation. The personal culpability is assigned with "ye have made it," condemning the religious leaders and their complicity. "A den of thieves" signifies not just economic malpractice, but profound spiritual and moral depravity, turning a sacred space into a perceived haven for the corrupt, where their misdeeds could supposedly be excused under the guise of religious duty.

Matthew 21 13 Bonus section

• Public Display of Authority: The Temple cleansing was one of Jesus' most overt public displays of divine authority and messianic zeal, not only in word but also in physical action. It served as a definitive declaration of His identity and a direct challenge to the ruling religious establishment, which was already hostile toward Him.
• Significance of the Court of the Gentiles: The commercial activities largely took place in the Outer Court (Court of the Gentiles), which was meant to be the place where non-Jews could draw near to God and pray. The profanation of this specific area highlighted the obstruction of true worship for outsiders, contrary to God's universal redemptive plan implicit in Isa 56:7. Jesus' action thus reclaimed accessibility for all.
• Echoes of Old Testament Prophetic Judgment: Jesus' action is deeply rooted in the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament, where prophets frequently confronted Israel's leaders and people for religious hypocrisy and defilement of God's worship (e.g., Amos, Hosea, Jeremiah). Jeremiah 7:1-15, in particular, speaks to Israel's false security in the Temple while living corrupt lives, a context Jesus explicitly evokes.
• Shift from Physical to Spiritual Temple: This event, alongside Jesus' later predictions of the Temple's destruction, served as a symbolic bridge to the new dispensation. The physical Temple, meant to be God's dwelling, was defiled; hence, God's presence would shift to a spiritual "temple"—His resurrected body, and subsequently, the Church (the body of believers).
• Contemporary Relevance for Believers: The principle of keeping "God's house" pure extends to believers today. As individuals and collectively, Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16-17; 2 Cor 6:16). This calls for integrity, authentic worship, and a clear distinction from the world's covetousness and unrighteousness within the Body of Christ.

Matthew 21 13 Commentary

Matthew 21:13 encapsulates Jesus' radical act of Temple cleansing, serving as a powerful demonstration of His messianic authority and divine judgment against religious hypocrisy. He contrasts God's eternal intention for the Temple—to be a sacred "house of prayer" for all nations (Isa 56:7)—with the shameful reality created by human avarice, transforming it into "a den of thieves" (Jer 7:11). This charge of "thieves" points beyond mere commerce; it speaks to the exploitation of pilgrims, inflated prices for sacrifices, and the moral bankruptcy that tainted the spiritual atmosphere. Jesus' overturning of tables and His authoritative pronouncement illustrate divine zeal for holiness and justice, signaling that true worship must be marked by sincerity and righteousness, not profiteering or corrupt ritualism. This incident profoundly challenged the existing religious order, foreshadowed the Temple's eventual destruction, and pointed toward the New Covenant where true worship transcends physical location, occurring "in spirit and truth," and where believers themselves become God's spiritual dwelling.