Matthew 13:12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

◄ Matthew 13:12 ►

New International Version
Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

New Living Translation
To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

English Standard Version
For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Berean Standard Bible
Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Berean Literal Bible
For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will be in abundance. And whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

King James Bible
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

New King James Version
For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

New American Standard Bible
For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

NASB 1995
“For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

NASB 1977
“For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

Legacy Standard Bible
For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

Amplified Bible
For whoever has [spiritual wisdom because he is receptive to God’s word], to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied; but whoever does not have [spiritual wisdom because he has devalued God’s word], even what he has will be taken away from him.

Christian Standard Bible
For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

American Standard Version
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Contemporary English Version
Everyone who has something will be given more. But people who don't have anything will lose even what little they have.

English Revised Version
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Those who understand [these mysteries] will be given [more knowledge], and they will excel [in understanding them]. However, some people don't understand [these mysteries]. Even what they understand will be taken away from them.

Good News Translation
For the person who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing will have taken away from him even the little he has.

International Standard Version
because to anyone who has something, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who doesn't have anything, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Majority Standard Bible
Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

NET Bible
For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

New Heart English Bible
For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever does not have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.

Webster's Bible Translation
For whoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Weymouth New Testament
For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.

World English Bible
For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
for whoever has, it will be given to him, and he will have overabundance, and whoever has not, even that which he has will be taken from him.

Berean Literal Bible
For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will be in abundance. And whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Young's Literal Translation
for whoever hath, it shall be given to him, and he shall have overabundance, and whoever hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him.

Smith's Literal Translation
For whoever has shall be given to him, and he shall have in excess; and whoever has not, also what he has shall be taken away from him.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound: but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away that also which he hath.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For whoever has, it shall be given to him, and he shall have in abundance. But whoever has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

New American Bible
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

New Revised Standard Version
For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
For to him who has, shall be given and it shall increase to him; but to him who has not, even that which he has shall be taken away from him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For to one who has it, it will be given, and it will be increased.

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, even that which he has shall be taken from him.

Godbey New Testament
But whosoever has, it shall be given to him, and he shall have more abundantly: but whosoever has not, it shall be taken from him even what he has.

Haweis New Testament
For whosoever hath, more shall be given to him, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, even that he hath shall be taken from him.

Mace New Testament
for to him that uses what he has, shall be given, and he shall have abundantly: but from him that uses it not, shall be taken away, even what he hath.

Weymouth New Testament
For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.

Worrell New Testament
For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall be made to abound; but whosoever has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

Worsley New Testament
for whosoever really hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundantly; but whosoever thus hath not, even that which he hath, shall be taken away from him:

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
…11He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Mark 4:25
For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Luke 8:18
Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”

Luke 19:26
He replied, ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more; but the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Matthew 25:29
For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

John 15:2
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.

Proverbs 9:9
Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.

Proverbs 1:5
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Daniel 12:10
Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.

James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Romans 11:7-8
What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, / as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”

1 Corinthians 3:18
Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.

2 Corinthians 8:14
At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. This way there will be equality.

Hebrews 5:12-14
Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food! / For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. / But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.

Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.

Treasury of Scripture

For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has.

For whosoever.

Matthew 25:29
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Mark 4:24,25
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given…

Luke 8:18
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

from.

Matthew 21:43
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Isaiah 5:4-7
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? …

Mark 12:9
What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

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Abundance Caused Him Overabundance

Matthew 13

1. The parable of the sower and the seed;
18. the explanation of it.
24. The parable of the weeds;
31. of the mustard seed;
33. of the leaven;
36. explanation of the parable of the weeds.
44. The parable of the hidden treasure;
45. of the pearl;
47. of the drag net cast into the sea.
53. Jesus is a prophet without honor in his own country.

Berean Study Bible

Whoever has
This phrase suggests a principle of spiritual receptivity and readiness. In the Greek, "has" (ἔχει) implies possession or holding onto something. In the context of Jesus' teachings, it refers to those who have an understanding or openness to the truths of the Kingdom of Heaven. Historically, this reflects the Jewish understanding of wisdom and knowledge as gifts from God, which are to be cherished and cultivated.

will be given more
The promise of being "given more" (δοθήσεται) indicates an increase or multiplication of what one already possesses. This is a divine principle of growth and blessing. In the scriptural context, it suggests that those who are faithful and diligent in their spiritual journey will receive greater insights, blessings, and responsibilities. This aligns with the biblical theme of stewardship, where faithfulness in small things leads to greater opportunities.

and he will have an abundance
The term "abundance" (περισσευθήσεται) conveys the idea of overflowing or exceeding what is necessary. This reflects God's generous nature and His desire to bless His people beyond their basic needs. In a spiritual sense, it speaks to the richness of life in Christ, where believers experience the fullness of joy, peace, and purpose. Historically, this abundance is not merely material but encompasses all aspects of life, including spiritual and relational wealth.

Whoever does not have
This phrase highlights a contrasting principle. The Greek word for "does not have" (οὐκ ἔχει) suggests a lack or absence of something essential. In the context of Jesus' parables, it refers to those who are spiritually blind or resistant to the truth. This reflects a recurring biblical theme where spiritual poverty results from a hardened heart or unwillingness to receive God's word.

even what he has
The phrase "even what he has" (καὶ ὃ ἔχει) indicates a minimal possession or understanding that is at risk. It underscores the precarious nature of spiritual complacency or neglect. In the broader scriptural narrative, it serves as a warning that neglecting one's spiritual life can lead to a loss of even the basic insights or blessings one might have.

will be taken away from him
The concept of being "taken away" (ἀρθήσεται) implies a removal or deprivation. This is a sobering reminder of the consequences of spiritual negligence. In the historical and scriptural context, it reflects the justice of God, where those who fail to value and nurture their spiritual gifts may find themselves losing them. This serves as a call to vigilance and active engagement in one's faith journey.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) Whosoever hath, to him shall be given.--The words have the ring of a proverb applicable, in its literal meaning, to the conditions of worldly prosperity. There fortune smiles on the fortunate, and nothing succeeds like success. Something like that law, our Lord tells His disciples, is to be found in the conditions of spiritual growth in wisdom. They had some elements of that wisdom, and therefore, using their knowledge rightly, could pass on to more. The people, including even scribes and Pharisees, were as those that had few or none, and not using even the little that they had, were in danger of losing even that. The faithless Jew was sinking down to the level of a superstitious heathen. The proverb accordingly teaches the same lesson as that which we afterwards find developed in the parables of the Talents and the Pounds.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - Matthew only in this context, but found in the parallel passages shortly after the explanation of this parable - Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18. The same saying is found in Matthew 25:29 (the talents) and Luke 19:26 (the pounds). For. The reason of God's action spoken of in the preceding verse. It is based on the following principle. Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. The last phrase (Matthew only) is probably dub to a reminiscence of the form in which the saying was uttered at a much later period in our Lord's ministry, where it arises naturally out of the parable (Matthew 25:29). But whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. A paradox. What he already possesses, if it is so small as to be not worth speaking of, shall be lost to him. Luke's "thinketh he hath" calls attention to the superficial character of the man's mind. The unfit ground loses the seed it receives (cf. the remarks at the beginning of this chapter).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

Whoever
ὅστις (hostis)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3748: Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever.

has
ἔχει (echei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

will be given [more],
δοθήσεται (dothēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

he will have an abundance.
περισσευθήσεται (perisseuthēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4052: From perissos; to superabound, be in excess, be superfluous; also to cause to superabound or excel.

Whoever
ὅστις (hostis)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3748: Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever.

[does] not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

have,
ἔχει (echei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

even
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

what
ὃ (ho)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

he has
ἔχει (echei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

will be taken away
ἀρθήσεται (arthēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 142: To raise, lift up, take away, remove.

from
ἀπ’ (ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

him.
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

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NT Gospels: Matthew 13:12 For whoever has to him will be (Matt. Mat Mt)