Matthew 21:45
New International Version
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.

New Living Translation
When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers.

English Standard Version
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.

Berean Standard Bible
When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them.

Berean Literal Bible
And the chief priests and the Pharisees, having heard His parables, knew that He speaks about them.

King James Bible
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

New King James Version
Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.

New American Standard Bible
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them.

NASB 1995
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them.

NASB 1977
And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them.

Legacy Standard Bible
And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them.

Amplified Bible
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was talking about them.

Christian Standard Bible
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew he was speaking about them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they knew He was speaking about them.

American Standard Version
And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

Contemporary English Version
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard these stories, they knew Jesus was talking about them.

English Revised Version
And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his illustrations, they knew that he was talking about them.

Good News Translation
The chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables and knew that he was talking about them,

International Standard Version
When the high priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was talking about them.

Majority Standard Bible
When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them.

NET Bible
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them.

New Heart English Bible
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke of them.

Weymouth New Testament
After listening to His parables the High Priests and the Pharisees perceived that He was speaking about them;

World English Bible
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the chief priests and the Pharisees having heard His allegories, knew that He speaks of them,

Berean Literal Bible
And the chief priests and the Pharisees, having heard His parables, knew that He speaks about them.

Young's Literal Translation
And the chief priests and the Pharisees having heard his similes, knew that of them he speaketh,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the chief priests and Pharisees, having heard his parable, knew that he spake of them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he spoke of them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when the leaders of the priests, and the Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them.

New American Bible
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them.

New Revised Standard Version
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
When the high priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they understood that he was speaking against them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when the Chief Priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he had spoken against them.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he spoke of them.

Godbey New Testament
And the chief priests and Pharisees hearing His parables, knew that He speaks concerning them.

Haweis New Testament
And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking concerning them.

Mace New Testament
When the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he meant them.

Weymouth New Testament
After listening to His parables the High Priests and the Pharisees perceived that He was speaking about them;

Worrell New Testament
And the high-priests and Pharisees, having heard His parables, knew that He was speaking concerning them.

Worsley New Testament
And when the chief priests and pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that He spake of them:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them. 46Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.…

Cross References
Isaiah 5:1-7
I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. / He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour! / “And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah, I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard. ...

Psalm 118:22-23
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. / This is from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Mark 12:12
At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.

Luke 20:19
When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.

Acts 4:11
This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

1 Peter 2:7-8
To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” / and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.

Jeremiah 7:25-26
From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets again and again. / Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers.

Jeremiah 25:4-7
And the LORD has sent all His servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear. / The prophets told you, ‘Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and deeds, and you can dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. / Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’ ...

2 Chronicles 36:15-16
Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. / But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.

John 7:45-48
Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring Him in?” / “Never has anyone spoken like this man!” the officers answered. / “Have you also been deceived?” replied the Pharisees. ...

John 11:47-53
Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. / If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” / But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! ...

Acts 5:33
When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.

Acts 7:51-52
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did. / Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

Romans 9:32-33
Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, / as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

Romans 11:7-10
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.” / And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke of them.

they.

Matthew 12:12
How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Luke 11:45
Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.

Luke 20:19
And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

Jump to Previous
Chief Ears Heard High Jesus Listening Parables Perceived Pharisees Priests Similes Speaketh Speaking Stories Talking Understood
Jump to Next
Chief Ears Heard High Jesus Listening Parables Perceived Pharisees Priests Similes Speaketh Speaking Stories Talking Understood
Matthew 21
1. Jesus rides into Jerusalem upon a donkey
12. drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple;
17. curses the fig tree;
23. puts to silence the priests and elders,
28. and rebukes them by the parable of the two sons,
33. and the husbandmen who slew such as were sent to them.














When the chief priests and Pharisees
This phrase identifies the religious leaders of the Jewish community during Jesus' time. The "chief priests" were part of the temple hierarchy, responsible for maintaining the temple's sanctity and overseeing sacrifices. The "Pharisees" were a sect known for their strict adherence to the Law and traditions. Historically, these groups held significant influence over Jewish religious life and were often at odds with Jesus due to His teachings, which challenged their authority and interpretations of the Law. Their mention here underscores the tension between Jesus and the established religious order.

heard His parables
The word "heard" implies more than just auditory reception; it suggests understanding and comprehension. In the context of the Gospels, Jesus often used parables—simple accounts with profound spiritual truths—to convey His message. The Greek word for parables, "parabolē," means a comparison or analogy. These accounts were designed to reveal truths to those open to understanding while concealing them from those who were spiritually blind. The chief priests and Pharisees' ability to "hear" indicates that they grasped the implications of Jesus' teachings, even if they did not accept them.

they knew
The phrase "they knew" indicates a realization or recognition. The Greek word "ginōskō" suggests an experiential knowledge, implying that the religious leaders had an internal acknowledgment of the truth Jesus was conveying. This recognition is significant because it highlights their awareness of their own shortcomings and the threat Jesus posed to their authority. Despite this knowledge, their hearts remained hardened, illustrating a willful rejection of the truth.

that He was speaking about them
This phrase reveals the direct application of Jesus' parables to the religious leaders. Jesus often used parables to critique the hypocrisy and spiritual blindness of the leaders. The realization that "He was speaking about them" indicates that the parables were not just abstract accounts but pointed messages aimed at exposing their failures and calling them to repentance. This understanding would have been both convicting and threatening, as it challenged their self-righteousness and authority.

(45) They perceived that he spake of them.--The real or affected unconsciousness of the drift of our Lord's teaching was at last broken through. The last words had been too clear and pointed to leave any room for doubt, and they were roused to a passionate desire for revenge.

Verse 45. - Pharisees. They have not been specially mentioned hitherto, but they formed the majority in the Sanhedrin, and are properly here named by the evangelist. He spake of them. They could not fail, especially after ver. 43, to see the drift of the parables; their own consciences must have made them feel that they themselves were herein signified, their motives and conduct fully discovered. But, as bad men always act, instead of repenting of the evil, they are only exasperated against him who detected them, and only desire the more to wreak their vengeance upon him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
When
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

chief priests
ἀρχιερεῖς (archiereis)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 749: High priest, chief priest. From arche and hiereus; the high-priest; by extension a chief priest.

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

Pharisees
Φαρισαῖοι (Pharisaioi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5330: Of Hebrew origin; a separatist, i.e. Exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary.

heard
ἀκούσαντες (akousantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

[Jesus’]
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.

parables,
παραβολὰς (parabolas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3850: From paraballo; a similitude, i.e. fictitious narrative, apothegm or adage.

they knew
ἔγνωσαν (egnōsan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

He was speaking
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd 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.

about
περὶ (peri)
Preposition
Strong's 4012: From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.

them.
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
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.


Links
Matthew 21:45 NIV
Matthew 21:45 NLT
Matthew 21:45 ESV
Matthew 21:45 NASB
Matthew 21:45 KJV

Matthew 21:45 BibleApps.com
Matthew 21:45 Biblia Paralela
Matthew 21:45 Chinese Bible
Matthew 21:45 French Bible
Matthew 21:45 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Matthew 21:45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 21:44
Top of Page
Top of Page