Matthew 13:7
And some fell among thorns;
and the thorns sprung up,
and choked them:
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Other translations
New International Version
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
New Living Translation
Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.
English Standard Version
Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
Berean Study Bible
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.
Berean Literal Bible
And other fell upon the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
New King James Version
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.
New American Standard Bible
NASB 1995
Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.
NASB 1977
“And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.
Amplified Bible
Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out.
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Among thorns.
Literally: the thorns
These are so familiar to the husbandman.
Probably the thorns were not visible at the time of sowing.
The ground had been so cleared, but the roots were left below the surface, and their growth and that of the grain went on simultaneously, and ended in the survival, not of the fittest, but of the strongest.
The ears shot up, and did not die suddenly, as in the preceding case, but were slowly strangled till they died away.
An other explanation is that, in a part of the field the thorns and shrubs had been imperfectly cleared away and not completely destroyed.
They grew with the grain, crowded it, shaded it, exhausted the earth, and thus choked it.
We often read of , “a field cleared of thorns”; but such was not this piece of ground, it was overrun with them, not on the surface of the earth, but within it: for it follows,
and the thorns sprung up (naturally, being neither sown nor planted) either before the seed, or, at least, with the seed; it however grew faster, and higher, and choked them; so that they came to nothing.
Hence the advice, “sow not among thorns” (Jeremiah 4:3) and a lost kindness, or what is bestowed in vain, is expressed in this proverbial manner, “thy beneficence is taken away, and cast among thorns”: these point out such hearers who seemed to be contrite, to have the low ground of their hearts broken up, their consciences tender, and to have a true sense of sin, as well as to be outwardly reformed; and yet inwardly were full of the thorns of sinful lusts, particularly of the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, the lusts of other things, and the pleasures of this life, which rendered the word useless and unfruitful (see Matthew 13:22) all which are comparable to thorns.
It is hardly possible to be in the midst of, and meddle with these, without being scratched by them; they pierce, afflict, and wound, even where they have not their greatest power and influence; and where they do prevail, and get the ascendant, as they are fruitless themselves, they make others so too; they choke the word, and make that, and all ordinances, and opportunities, useless, and unserviceable.
Thorns are a part of the earth’s curse for the sin of man; and such persons in whom thorny cares and lusts prevail, as they are like unto the earth which beareth thorns, so, as that, they are rejected, and nigh to cursing, whose end is to be burned in everlasting flames of divine wrath and fury (Hebrews 6:8).
Greek
Other [seeds] ☆ Ἄλλα (Alla) ☆ Adjective – Nominative Neuter Plural ☆ Other, another (of more than two), different. A primary word; ‘else, ‘ i.e. Different.
Fell ☆ ἔπεσεν (epesen) ☆ Verb – Aorist Indicative Active – 3rd Person Singular ☆ A reduplicated and contracted form of peto; probably akin to petomai through the idea of alighting; to fall.
Among ☆ ἐπὶ (epi) ☆ Preposition ☆ On, to, against, on the basis of, at.
The ☆ τὰς (tas) ☆ Article – Accusative Feminine Plural ☆ The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
Thorns ☆ ἀκάνθας (akanthas) ☆ Noun – Accusative Feminine Plural ☆ A thorn-bush, prickly plant; a thorn. Probably from the same as akmen; a thorn.
[which] ☆ ἄκανθαι (akanthai) ☆ Noun – Nominative Feminine Plural ☆ A thorn-bush, prickly plant; a thorn. Probably from the same as akmen; a thorn.
Grew up ☆ ἀνέβησαν (anebēsan) ☆ Verb – Aorist Indicative Active – 3rd Person Plural ☆ To go up, mount, ascend; of things: I rise, spring up, come up. From ana and the base of basis; to go up.
And ☆ καὶ (kai) ☆ Conjunction ☆ And, even, also, namely.
Choked ☆ ἔπνιξαν* (epnixan) ☆ Verb – Aorist Indicative Active – 3rd Person Plural ☆ To choke, throttle, strangle; hence: I drown. Strengthened from pneo; to wheeze, i.e. to throttle or strangle.
[the seedlings] ☆ αὐτά (auta) ☆ Personal / Possessive Pronoun – Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Plural ☆ 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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For more information about “thorns” see: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl/2021/10/17/thorns/
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