Matthew 13:22

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ὁ δὲ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας σπαρείς οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων· καὶ ἡ μέριμνα τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, καὶ ἡ ἀπάτη τοῦ πλούτου, συμπνίγει τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἄκαρπος γίνεται.

Transliteration

But the one eis the akanthas spareis, this estin the one the logon akouōn; and the merimna tou aiōnos this, and the apatē tou ploutou, sympnigei the logon, and akarpos ginetai.

Grammar Details

• *de*: contrastive particle - but/and
• *eis*: preposition + accusative - into/among
• *akanthas*: accusative, feminine, plural - thorns
• *spareis*: aorist participle, nominative, masculine, singular, passive - having been sown
• *houtos*: demonstrative, nominative, masculine, singular - this one
• *estin*: present, 3rd singular - is
• *logon*: accusative, masculine, singular - word
• *akouōn*: present participle, nominative, masculine, singular - hearing
• *merimna*: nominative, feminine, singular - care/anxiety
• *aiōnos*: genitive, masculine, singular - of age
• *toutou*: demonstrative, genitive, masculine, singular - this
• *apatē*: nominative, feminine, singular - deceitfulness
• *ploutou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of wealth
• *sympnigei*: present, 3rd singular - chokes
• *akarpos*: nominative, masculine, singular - unfruitful
• *ginetai*: present, 3rd singular, middle - becomes

Word Meanings

• *eis tas akanthas spareis*: the one sown among the thorns
• *logon akouōn*: hearing the word/one who hears the message
• *merimna tou aiōnos toutou*: care/worry of this age/worldly concerns
• *apatē tou ploutou*: deceitfulness of wealth/deception of riches
• *sympnigei*: chokes/suffocates/crowds out
• *akarpos ginetai*: becomes unfruitful/nonproductive/barren

Referenced Verses

• 1 Tim 6:9-9 : 9 Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.
• 1 Tim 6:17 : 17 Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.
• 2 Tim 4:10 : 10 For Demas deserted me, since he loved the present age, and he went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia.
• Luke 8:14 : 14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
• Luke 12:15 : 15 Then he said to them,“Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
• Matt 6:24-25 : 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 25 Do Not Worry“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing?
• Ps 52:7 : 7 “Look, here is the man who would not make God his protector! He trusted in his great wealth and was confident about his plans to destroy others.”
• Eccl 5:10-11 : 10 Covetousness The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile. 11 When someone’s prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?
• Acts 5:1-9 : 1 The Judgment on Ananias and Sapphira Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. 2 He kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said,“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land? 4 Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God!” 5 When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it. 6 So the young men came, wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, but she did not know what had happened. 8 Peter said to her,“Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the land?” Sapphira said,“Yes, that much.” 9 Peter then told her,“Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” 10 At once she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the whole church and all who heard about these things.
• 1 John 2:15-16 : 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 16 because all that is in the world(the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world.
• Jude 1:11-12 : 11 Woe to them! For they have traveled down Cain’s path, and because of greed have abandoned themselves to Balaam’s error; hence, they will certainly perish in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These men are dangerous reefs at your love feasts, feasting without reverence, feeding only themselves. They are waterless clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit– twice dead, uprooted;
• Acts 8:18 : 18 Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money,
• 2 Pet 2:14-15 : 14 Their eyes, full of adultery, never stop sinning; they entice unstable people. They have trained their hearts for greed, these cursed children! 15 By forsaking the right path they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,
• Eccl 5:13-14 : 13 Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery. 14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.
• Jer 4:3 : 3 Yes, this is what the LORD has said to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:“Break up your unplowed ground, do not cast seeds among thorns.
• Gen 13:10-13 : 10 Lot looked up and saw the whole region of the Jordan. He noticed that all of it was well-watered(before the LORD obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, all the way to Zoar. 11 Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled toward the east. So the relatives separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the Jordan plain and pitched his tents next to Sodom. 13 (Now the people of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the LORD.)
• Josh 7:20-21 : 20 Achan told Joshua,“It is true. I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel in this way: 21 I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon, two hundred silver pieces, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I wanted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground right in the middle of my tent with the silver underneath.”
• 2 Kgs 5:20-27 : 20 Gehazi, the prophet Elisha’s servant, thought,“Look, my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him. As certainly as the LORD lives, I will run after him and accept something from him.” 21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked,“Is everything all right?” 22 He answered,“Everything is fine. My master sent me with this message,‘Look, two servants of the prophets just arrived from the Ephraimite hill country. Please give them a talent of silver and two suits of clothes.’” 23 Naaman said,“Please accept two talents of silver.” He insisted, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, along with two suits of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants and they carried them for Gehazi. 24 When he arrived at the hill, he took them from the servants and put them in the house. Then he sent the men on their way. 25 When he came and stood before his master, Elisha asked him,“Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered,“Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.” 26 Elisha replied,“I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants. 27 Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.
• Ps 62:10 : 10 Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression! Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery! If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!
• Prov 11:28 : 28 The one who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
• Prov 23:5 : 5 When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!
• Eccl 4:8 : 8 A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments,“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is futile and a burdensome task!
• Matt 13:7 : 7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked them.
• Matt 19:16-24 : 16 The Rich Young Man Now someone came up to him and said,“Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?” 17 He said to him,“Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied,“Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him,“I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him,“If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples,“I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! 24 Again I say, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.”
• Mark 4:18-19 : 18 Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word, 19 but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
• Mark 10:23-25 : 23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them,“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
• Luke 12:21 : 21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God.”
• Luke 12:29-30 : 29 So do not be overly concerned about what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things. 30 For all the nations of the world pursue these things, and your Father knows that you need them.
• Luke 14:16-24 : 16 But Jesus said to him,“A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time for the banquet he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited,‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ 18 But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first said to him,‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said,‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going out to examine them. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said,‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’ 21 So the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious and said to his slave,‘Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 Then the slave said,‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’ 23 So the master said to his slave,‘Go out to the highways and country roads and urge people to come in, so that my house will be filled. 24 For I tell you, not one of those individuals who were invited will taste my banquet!’”
• Luke 18:24-25 : 24 When Jesus noticed this, he said,“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
• Luke 21:34 : 34 Be Ready!“But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.