Matthew 8:22 (GNV)

Passage

But Iesus said vnto him, Followe me, and let the dead burie their dead.

Nearby Context

Matthew 8:20 But Iesus saide vnto him, The foxes haue holes, and the birdes of the heauen haue nestes, but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head.

Matthew 8:21 And another of his disciples saide vnto him, Master, suffer me first to goe, and burie my father.

Matthew 8:22 But Iesus said vnto him, Followe me, and let the dead burie their dead.

Matthew 8:23 And when he was entred into ye ship, his disciples followed him.

Matthew 8:24 And beholde, there arose a great tempest in the sea, so that the ship was couered with waues: but he was a sleepe.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "iesus", "said", "vnto", "followe", "dead", and "burie". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "iesus" and "said", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 21's "And another of his disciples saide vnto..." into verse 23's "And when he was entred into ye...", so "iesus" and "said" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "iesus" and "said" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.