Passage

Matthew 9.38

Book: Matthew · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd. 37. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few."

"38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:36-38, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. 37. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few."

"38. Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”" (Matthew 9:36-38, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. ^{fainted: or, were tired and lay down} 37. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;"

"38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:36-38, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"36. And having seen the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, that they were faint and cast aside, as sheep not having a shepherd, 37. then saith he to his disciples, 'The harvest indeed [is] abundant, but the workmen few;"

"38. beseech ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he may put forth workmen to His harvest.'" (Matthew 9:36-38, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.