Matthew 13:7

13:7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, ¹  and they grew up and choked them. ² 

Matthew 7:16

7:16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered ³  from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? ⁴ 

Matthew 13:22

13:22 The ⁵  seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth ⁶  choke the word, ⁷  so it produces nothing.

Matthew 27:29

27:29 and after braiding ⁸  a crown of thorns, ⁹  they put it on his head. They ¹⁰  put a staff ¹¹  in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: ¹²  “Hail, king of the Jews!” ¹³ 

[13:7]  ¹ sn Palestinian weeds like these thorns could grow up to six feet in height and have a major root system.

[13:7]  ² sn That is, crowded out the good plants.

[7:16]  ³ tn Grk “They do not gather.” This has been simplified to the passive voice in the translation since the subject “they” is not specified further in the context.

[7:16]  ⁴ sn The statement illustrates the principle: That which cannot produce fruit does not produce fruit.

[13:22]  ⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[13:22]  ⁶ tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”

[13:22]  ⁷ sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.

[27:29]  ⁷ tn Or “weaving.”

[27:29]  ⁸ sn The crown may have been made from palm spines or some other thorny plant common in Israel. In placing the crown of thorns on his head, the soldiers were unwittingly symbolizing God’s curse on humanity (cf. Gen 3:18) being placed on Jesus. Their purpose would have been to mock Jesus’ claim to be a king; the crown of thorns would have represented the “radiant corona” portrayed on the heads of rulers on coins and other artifacts in the 1st century.

[27:29]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[27:29]  ¹⁰ tn Or “a reed.” The Greek term can mean either “staff” or “reed.” See BDAG 502 s.v. κάλαμος 2.

[27:29]  ¹¹ tn Grk “they mocked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.

[27:29]  ¹² tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”