Matthew 10:8 · Bible study
Matthew 10:8 Commentary: Freely Received, Freely Give
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Matthew 10:8: the call to heal, cleanse, cast out demons, and the command to give freely as you received.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Because the apostles received their authority and message as a free gift, they must not charge for their ministry.
- Key words: δωρεάν (freely) appears twice, emphasizing the gratuity of both reception and giving; the present imperatives (heal, cleanse, cast out) stress ongoing action.
- Main debate: Whether “raise the dead” is original to Matthew; and whether “freely give” precludes ministers receiving financial support.
- Theological theme: Grace is unearned and cannot be commodified; those who receive it must extend it with the same liberality.
- Best use: Sermon on generosity, the nature of grace, or the heart of Christian ministry; Bible study on the ethics of money and service.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
KJV King James Version 1769
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
infirm ones be healing, lepers be cleansing, dead be raising, demons be casting out--freely ye did receive, freely give.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Heal [the] infirm, [raise the dead], cleanse lepers, cast out demons: ye have received gratuitously, give gratuitously.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils: freely have you received, freely give.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Sanad enfermos, limpiad leprosos, resucitad muertos, echad fuera demonios: de gracia recibisteis, dad de gracia.
Curai os doentes, ressuscitai os mortos, limpai os leprosos, expulsai os demônios; recebestes de graça, dai de graça.
Guérissez les malades, ressuscitez les morts, purifiez les lépreux, chassez les démons. Vous avez reçu gratuitement, donnez gratuitement.
Macht die Kranken gesund, reinigt die Aussätzigen, weckt die Toten auf, treibt die Teufel aus. Umsonst habt ihr' s empfangen, umsonst gebt es auch.
Geneest de kranken; reinigt de melaatsen; wekt de doden op; werpt de duivelen uit. Gij hebt het om niet ontvangen, geeft het om niet.
Sanate gl’infermi, risuscitate i morti, mondate i lebbrosi, cacciate i demoni; gratuitamente avete ricevuto, gratuitamente date.
Chore uzdrawiajcie, trędowate oczyszczajcie, umarłe wskrzeszajcie, dyjabły wyganiajcie; darmoście wzięli, darmo dawajcie.
больных исцеляйте, прокаженных очищайте, мертвых воскрешайте, бесов изгоняйте; даром получили, даром давайте.
醫治 病人，叫死人 復活，叫長大痲瘋的 潔淨，把鬼 趕出去。你們白白地 得來，也要白白地 捨去。
Make well those who are ill, give life to the dead, make lepers clean, send evil spirits out of men; freely it has been given to you, freely give.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 10:8
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that Matthew 10:8 lies at the heart of Jesus’ commissioning of the Twelve. The disciples have already received authority over unclean spirits and every disease (Matthew 10:1), and now they are told to exercise that power, healing the sick, cleansing lepers, and casting out demons, as visible signs that the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived. The debated phrase “raise the dead” appears in many manuscripts but is absent from others; Adam Clarke argues strongly that it was added later, while Gill and others note that even if original, it probably anticipated the fuller power given after Pentecost rather than expecting literal resurrections during this first mission. All agree on the weight of the closing phrase: “Freely you received, so freely give.” Calvin urges that the disciples must be faithful and generous stewards of what they have been given, not suppressing the power entrusted to them. Barnes, along with Gill, clarifies that the command does not forbid receiving a living, the laborer is worthy of food (Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7; 1 Corinthians 9:8, 14), but it absolutely prohibits selling the gift or bargaining for spiritual services. The core principle is that grace has no price tag.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Textual interpolation view: The phrase 'raise the dead' lacks strong early manuscript support and may have been added later (Clarke).
- Anticipatory power view: Even if original, the command pointed forward to the fuller apostolic power of the Spirit, not to literal resurrections during this first mission (Gill).
- No paid ministry view: The command to give freely is taken to prohibit any financial exchange for ministry services, including salaries.
- Free ministry, supported workers view: The same passage provides for the labourer’s food (v.10); the restriction is on selling grace, not on receiving support (Barnes, Calvin).
What is clear: Regardless of the textual or application debates, the apostles received their commission as a free gift of grace, and they are to extend that grace to others without treating it as a commodity for sale.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Text: 'raise the dead' | The mission to heal, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons is undisputed. Both sides affirm that these works demonstrate the power of the Kingdom. | Some manuscripts and early versions omit 'raise the dead'; others include it. Christians differ on whether the phrase belongs in the original text and, if so, whether the disciples were expected to perform literal resurrections during this particular mission (Gill sees it as anticipatory; Clarke argues it is an interpolation). |
| Meaning of 'freely give' | No one should sell spiritual gifts or perform ministry for a fee. Grace cannot be priced or purchased. | Some conclude that the principle forbids ministers from receiving any financial support; others (Barnes, Calvin, Gill) note that the same passage assumes the labourer deserves food (v.10), so it prohibits trading in grace but not accepting voluntary support. |
| Scope of the mission | Jesus initially sent the Twelve only to the Jewish people, not to Gentiles or Samaritans. | Some see this as a temporary limitation that was later lifted after the resurrection; others view it as a theological priority that Jews should hear the gospel first, before the nations. |
| Applicability to ministries today | The principle of free grace should shape how all Christian service is offered. | Christians debate how strictly the 'freely give' command applies to paid roles such as pastors, Christian authors, or conference speakers. Different traditions draw lines in different places, all seeking to honor the text. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jesus sends the twelve apostles on their first independent mission. The instructions in Matthew 10:5, 15 are given against a specific backdrop. The mission is deliberately limited to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v.6); the time for the Gentile mission has not yet arrived. The cultural setting includes several layers that make Jesus’ commands striking.
Leprosy in first-century Judaism carried profound social and religious consequences. A leper was cut off from community and worship (Leviticus 13, 14). To “cleanse” a leper was not only to heal a disease but to restore a person to full fellowship. The casting out of demons likewise confronted a world where evil spirits were understood as real, malevolent forces that could oppress mind and body. These acts of power were signs that the Kingdom of Heaven was breaking in: the Messiah had come to undo the effects of sin, sickness, and Satan.
The phrase “freely give” uses the Greek adverb δωρεάν twice, once with the receiving and once with the giving. Thayer’s lexicon defines it as “freely, undeservedly.” The disciples received their authority and message not as a purchase but as pure gift. They are now to dispense it the same way. This principle stood against the common practice of charging for religious services, a problem the Jewish oral law itself addressed by forbidding payment for teaching the Law (a tradition Gill connects to this passage). The command also echoes the story of Elisha, who refused Naaman’s gifts after the healing of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:16), and the tragic story of Gehazi, who pursued payment and inherited the leprosy instead (2 Kings 5:20, 27). The apostles are being set apart as channels of pure grace.
Yet this does not mean they should go without provisions. Matthew 10:9, 10 instructs them to travel light and depend on hospitality, “for the laborer is worthy of his food.” So a free gospel and a supported worker are not contradictions; they are two sides of one calling to trust God and serve without commercial motives.
Textual Notes
The phrase “raise the dead” (νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε) is absent from several important Greek manuscripts (including those designated EKLMS and BHV by Griesbach, as noted by Adam Clarke) and from some early versions (Syriac, Sahidic, Armenian, and others). Clarke also observes that early church fathers such as Athanasius, Basil, and Chrysostom seem not to have read it in their copies. Modern critical editions often bracket the phrase or place it in a footnote. However, it is present in the majority of later manuscripts and is printed in the King James, ASV, and other translations. The textual uncertainty does not affect the main thrust of the passage, Jesus clearly gave the Twelve authority over sickness, impurity, and demonic power, but it does caution against building a doctrine on this single clause.
Reception History
Matthew 10:8 has echoed through Christian history as a key text on the gratuity of grace. Early church writers used it to condemn simony, the buying or selling of spiritual offices, named after Simon Magus (Acts 8:18, 24). The Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) forbade ordination for money, drawing implicitly on this principle. In the Reformation, Calvin leaned on the verse to argue that ministers must not peddle the gospel but preach it freely, even as he affirmed their right to a living wage. The phrase “freely give” has also been set to music, appearing in hymns and choruses about the unearned nature of salvation. Across traditions, the verse has encouraged Christians to offer ministry, teaching, and resources without charge, trusting God for provision rather than charging those who receive.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Authority given. Jesus called the Twelve and gave them power over unclean spirits and all diseases (Matthew 10:1). This is the source of everything they will do.
- Works of the Kingdom. Healing, cleansing, and casting out demons are not random miracles, they are signs that the Kingdom of Heaven has come near. The list shows the scope of Christ’s victory: over sickness, social isolation, and spiritual bondage.
- The manner of service. “Freely you received, so freely give.” Grace cannot be sold. Ministry is to be offered with the same generosity with which it was given.
Five-point outline
- Receive authority from Christ (Matthew 10:1).
- Go to the lost sheep of Israel (vv.5, 6).
- Preach the message: the Kingdom is at hand (v.7).
- Demonstrate the Kingdom through healing, cleansing, and deliverance (v.8).
- Live on grace and extend grace without charge (vv.8, 10).
Illustration hooks
- The story of Elisha and Naaman (2 Kings 5). Elisha refused payment; Gehazi chased it and paid dearly. The difference between a servant who trusts God’s provision and one who treats grace as a commodity.
- A local church that supports its pastor generously, yet the pastor never sells his sermons or charges for hospital visits. The tension between worthy support and free gospel can be a classroom for trust.
- A musician or teacher who gives away their work free online, trusting God to provide through other means. Modern echoes of the same principle challenge our assumptions about payment and gift.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If everything is “free,” why does our church take up offerings and pay staff? Where is the line between a living wage and selling the gospel?
- How do we apply “freely give” when our ministries have real costs, building rent, printed materials, staff salaries?
- Is it wrong to charge for Christian books, conferences, or counseling? What does “free” look like in a world with bills?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits in the middle of Matthew 10, where Jesus sends his apostles out with specific instructions. Before you discuss, read the whole passage (10:5, 15) and notice the balance between “freely give” and the practical provision of food and shelter. The goal is not to eliminate all financial questions but to let the principle of grace shape our hearts.
Discussion questions
- Read Matthew 10:1 and 10:8. Where does the disciples’ power come from? How does that shape how they should use it?
- What do the specific actions, healing, cleansing, casting out demons, tell us about what the Kingdom of Heaven does when it arrives?
- The word “freely” (δωρεάν) describes both the receiving and the giving. Why does Jesus emphasize that the gift was undeserved? How would remembering that change the way we serve?
- In what ways might Christians today treat their spiritual gifts or resources as commodities to be sold or traded?
- How does the rest of the commission (vv.9, 10) qualify the command “freely give”? Does receiving financial support contradict it? Why or why not?
- What would it look like for your small group or church to embody the “freely give” principle in a specific, practical way this month?
- How does this passage help you understand grace more deeply, as something received without cost, and therefore something that cannot be priced?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Kings 5:15 | He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.” |
| II Kings 5:16 | But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he refused. |
| II Kings 5:20 | But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.” |
| II Kings 5:27 | Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow. |
| Matthew 10:1 | He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. |
| Mark 16:18 | they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” |
| Luke 10:9 | Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ |
| Acts 3:6 | But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that the command to raise the dead was likely not part of Jesus' original instruction, since ancient manuscripts omit it and no disciple performed such a miracle before the resurrection. On the second half, he stresses that spiritual gifts must never be used for financial gain, condemning anyone who preaches primarily to earn a living.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes draw a direct link between receiving and giving: since the disciples received miraculous power as a free gift from Christ, they must never sell or barter it. The command to heal, cleanse, raise and cast out demons comes with the strict charge to give freely what was freely received.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the command to heal, cleanse lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils was both a proof of divine mission and a free service. He connects "freely give" to a Jewish tradition requiring teachers to dispense oral law without charge, applying that principle to the gospel and miracles. He clarifies this does not forbid ministerial support, only greedy gain.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that this is the first time Christ personally grants supernatural power to His followers, anticipating Pentecost. He then exalts the command to give freely as a divine saying, comparing it to Proverbs’ apple of gold in a setting of silver and linking it to Paul’s words that giving is more blessed than receiving.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Christ's restriction to Jewish territory was a temporary strategy, not a permanent rule. He argues that the disciples already leaned toward a universal mission, so the prohibition was needed to first establish the kingdom in Israel before reaching the whole world.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley counters skeptics who argue that diseases described as demonic in the Gospels are merely natural disorders like epilepsy or convulsions. He insists that God could allow an evil spirit to produce the same physical symptoms, so matching symptoms do not rule out a demonic cause. The possibility of preternatural intervention makes the biblical accounts plausible.