Matthew 12:16

warning them not to make Him known.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus speaks to the witnesses of his recent healings immediately after withdrawing from the previous location. He issues a direct command to those who observed the miracles to conceal his identity.

The words — The Greek verb ἐπετίμησεν (epetimēsen) literally means "He warned" or "He commanded," while φανερὸν (phaneron) translates to "known" or "public." Jesus instructs them to make αὐτὸν (auton) "Him" not φανερὸν (phaneron) "known."

The thread — This pattern of commanding silence about miraculous works appears in Matthew 8:4, Matthew 9:30, and Matthew 17:9. Each instance records Jesus restricting public proclamation of his identity following a specific act of power.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to accept a divine restriction on how and when revelation is shared. It asks for immediate obedience to a command that prioritizes God's timing over public expectation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

καὶkaiand ἐπετίμησενepetimēsenHe warned αὐτοῖςautoisthem ἵναinathat μὴmēnot φανερὸνphaneronknown αὐτὸνautonHim ποιήσωσιν,poiēsōsinthey may make —

King James Version

And charged them that they should not make him known:

Cross-references

Matthew 8:4 Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.”
Matthew 9:30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!”
Matthew 17:9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Mark 7:36 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.
Luke 5:14 “Do not tell anyone,” Jesus instructed him. “But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”