What Does Matthew 13:12 Mean in the King James?
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse turns on a paradox of possession: what is truly held opens into more, while what only seems to be possessed can vanish.
THE MEANING
What you truly receive keeps opening into more, while what is yours only in appearance can slip away. The abundance is an overflow of what is already held, not a separate possession laid on top.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that appearing to possess something guarantees it is truly yours; what is not really received can be lost even while it seems present.
THE ROOT
ἔχει
echei
GROWS FROM
ἐχ-
ech-
to have, hold, possess
“hath / hath not / hath” in this verse is echei. Matthew uses the same Greek verb for the one who has, the one who has not, and the final “that he hath.” Its range of holding and possessing sharpens the paradox between what is actually held and what only appears to be possessed.
ALSO GROWS
katechō: hold fast, retain
κατέχω
This compound carries the same “hold” base, bringing out the difference between something retained and something only counted as yours.
synechō: hold together, press in
συνέχω
The same base appears in a word for holding things together, echoing the verse’s tension between a possession that remains and one that comes apart.
περισσεύω
perisseuō
GROWS FROM
περισσευ-
perisseu-
to go beyond what is ordinary; to abound
“more abundance” in this verse is perisseuō. The Greek family points toward what exceeds the ordinary measure: the verse’s abundance is an overflow, not merely one more item added. That overflow stands opposite the loss in the second half of the verse.
ALSO GROWS
perissos: over and above, extraordinary
περισσός
This related form gives the sense of abundance exceeding the usual measure.
perisseuma: surplus, what remains in excess
περίσσευμα
This branch names the overflow that clarifies the kind of abundance described here.
THE PATTERN
What is truly received can open into more, while what only appears possessed cannot securely be kept.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.THE THREAD
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.Luke uses the same Greek verb for “hath” and adds “seemeth,” naming the gap between appearing to possess and actually having. That addition brings Matthew’s reversal into focus: what seems to be held can be taken away.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us