Matthew 13:17
New International Version
For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

New Living Translation
I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

English Standard Version
For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Berean Standard Bible
For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Berean Literal Bible
For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear.

King James Bible
For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

New King James Version
for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

New American Standard Bible
For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

NASB 1995
“For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

NASB 1977
“For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Legacy Standard Bible
For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Amplified Bible
I assure you and most solemnly say to you, many prophets and righteous men [who were honorable and in right standing with God] longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Christian Standard Bible
For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but didn’t see them, to hear the things you hear but didn’t hear them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For I assure you: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see yet didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn’t hear them.

American Standard Version
For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For I say to you that many Prophets and righteous ones have yearned to see the things that you are seeing and they did not see them, and to hear the things that you are hearing, and they did not hear them.

Contemporary English Version
Many prophets and good people were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you they did not see or hear.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them.

English Revised Version
For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I can guarantee this truth: Many prophets and many of God's people longed to see what you see but didn't see it, to hear what you hear but didn't hear it.

Good News Translation
I assure you that many prophets and many of God's people wanted very much to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not.

International Standard Version
I tell all of you with certainty, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but did not see them, and to hear the things you hear but did not hear them."

Literal Standard Version
for truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see that which you look on, and they did not see, and to hear that which you hear, and they did not hear.

Majority Standard Bible
For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

New American Bible
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

NET Bible
For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

New Revised Standard Version
Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

New Heart English Bible
For truly I tell you that many prophets and righteous people desired to see the things which you see, and did not see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.

Webster's Bible Translation
For verily I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Weymouth New Testament
For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.

World English Bible
For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.

Young's Literal Translation
for verily I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men did desire to see that which ye look on, and they did not see, and to hear that which ye hear, and they did not hear.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. 18Consider, then, the parable of the sower:…

Cross References
Luke 10:23
Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

John 8:56
Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad."

Hebrews 11:13
All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

1 Peter 1:10
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who foretold the grace to come to you searched and investigated carefully,


Treasury of Scripture

For truly I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.

That many.

Luke 10:24
For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

John 8:56
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

Ephesians 3:5,6
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; …

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Desire Desired Hear Heard Holy Longed Prophets Righteous Sights Solemnly Truth Upright Verily Words
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Desire Desired Hear Heard Holy Longed Prophets Righteous Sights Solemnly Truth Upright Verily Words
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.














(17) Many prophets and righteous men.--The prophets of Israel were emphatically "men of desires." They saw afar off the glory of the kingdom of the latter days. Each stood, as it were, on a Pisgah height, and looked on the vision of a land which he was not to enter. The words "have not seen them" seem to stand in verbal contradiction with those of John 8:56, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day," but it is clear that the difference is simply verbal. There is a joy in looking on the distant prospect which does not exclude, yea, rather implies the desire to reach that which even from afar appears so glorious. The feeling thus described is identical with the "searching diligently" of 1Peter 1:10, and with the "desire for a better country" of Hebrews 11:16.

Verse 17. - For verily (Matthew 5:18, note). Not in the parallel passage; it is much more common in Matthew than Luke. Our Lord contrasts his disciples' "blessedness" not only with the state of their contemporaries, but with that of their predecessors in faith. I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men. Those who were specially favoured with insight into God's methods, and those who approached most closely to his standard of righteousness. Righteous men; "kings" in Luke. St. Luke's readers would probably not appreciate the force of the term, "righteous men." to the same degree that St. Matthew's would. Have desired (ἐπεθύμησαν). By reading ἐπεθύμησα, this saying has been attributed to Christ (see Bishop Westcott, 'Introd.,' App. C.; Resch, 'Agrapha,' p. 397). To see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them (cf. Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 1:10-12).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

truly
ἀμὴν (amēn)
Hebrew Word
Strong's 281: Of Hebrew origin; properly, firm, i.e. trustworthy; adverbially, surely.

I tell
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

you,
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

many
πολλοὶ (polloi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

prophets
προφῆται (prophētai)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4396: From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller; by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet.

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

righteous [men]
δίκαιοι (dikaioi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1342: From dike; equitable; by implication, innocent, holy.

longed
ἐπεθύμησαν (epethymēsan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1937: To long for, covet, lust after, set the heart upon. From epi and thumos; to set the heart upon, i.e. Long for.

to see
ἰδεῖν (idein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

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

you see
βλέπετε (blepete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

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

did not see [it],
εἶδαν (eidan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

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

to hear
ἀκοῦσαι (akousai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

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

you hear
ἀκούετε (akouete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

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

did not hear [it].
ἤκουσαν (ēkousan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 13:17 For most certainly I tell you that (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 13:16
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