Matthew 9:4 (KJV)

What does Matthew 9:4 mean?

Matthew 9:4 shows Jesus responding to an accusation that some religious teachers had made silently. He knows what they are thinking and challenges them for judging his words as evil.

The teachers had accused Jesus of speaking against God after he told a paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven. Jesus addresses their “hearts,” a way of referring to their inner thoughts and judgments.

The Greek behind Matthew 9:4

• “thoughts” — ἐνθυμήσεις (enthymēseis): The Greek word carries the sense of things considered or thought about. It points to the teachers’ inward reasoning, which Jesus addresses even though they have not spoken it aloud.
• “hearts” — καρδίαις (kardiais): The Greek word means “hearts.” In this setting, the heart is pictured as the place where a person thinks and forms judgments, not only where a person feels emotions.
• “evil” — πονηρά (ponēra): The Greek word can describe what is bad or morally wrong. Jesus uses it to describe the teachers’ thoughts, turning their accusation back toward their own judgment.

Why Matthew 9:4 matters

• Jesus brings the hidden disagreement into the open. The teachers had spoken “within themselves” in verse 3, but Jesus answers them directly in verse 4.
• The question prepares the reader for Jesus’ next challenge about forgiveness and healing. In verses 5–6, Jesus connects his words to the paralyzed man with an act the onlookers can see.