Matthew Chapter 12 verse 20 Holy Bible

ASV Matthew 12:20

A bruised reed shall he not break, And smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory.
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BBE Matthew 12:20

The crushed stem will not be broken by him; and the feebly burning light will he not put out, till he has made righteousness overcome all.
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DARBY Matthew 12:20

a bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, until he bring forth judgment unto victory;
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KJV Matthew 12:20

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
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WBT Matthew 12:20


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WEB Matthew 12:20

He won't break a bruised reed. He won't quench a smoking flax, Until he leads justice to victory.
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YLT Matthew 12:20

a bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench, till he may put forth judgment to victory,
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Matthew 12 : 20 Bible Verse Songs

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 20. - A bruised reed shall he not break, and-smoking flax shall he not quench. Though what more feeble than a cracked reed or a wick just flickering? Yet he reckons neither as useless; he allows for possibilities of improvement. His treatment of the believer who is weakest, and, so to speak, least alive, is marked by long-suffering and gentleness. Observe that (1) Matthew omits the words, "He shall not burn dimly nor be discouraged," because he is not concerned with anything else than Christ's relation to others; (2) he combines into one the two clauses of Isaiah, "He shall bring forth judgment in truth" and "Till he have set judgment in the earth." Till he send forth (ἕως α}ν ἐκβάλῃ). This being the supreme object of Messiah's life and energy - bringing out, as from his own plans and resources, judgment unto victory; i.e. the revelation of the Divine Law (ver. 18, note) to a successful issue in human hearts. Unto victory. Apparently only a paraphrase of the thought in Isaiah.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(20) A bruised reed shall he not break.--The prophet's words described a character of extremest gentleness. The "bruised reed" is the type of one broken by the weight of sorrow, or care, or sin. Such a one men in general disregard or trample on. The Christ did not so act, but sought rather to bind up and strengthen. The "smoking flax" is the wick of the lamp which has ceased to burn clearly, and the clouded flame of which seems to call for prompt extinction. Here (as afterwards, in Matthew 25:1-8) we read a parable of the souls in which the light that should shine before men has grown dim. Base desires have clogged it; it is no longer fed with the true oil. For such the self-righteous Pharisee had no pity; he simply gave thanks that his own lamp was burning. But the Christ in His tenderness sought, if it were possible, to trim the lamp and to pour in the oil till the flame was bright again. We cannot help feeling, as we read the words, that the publican-apostle had found their fulfilment in his own personal experience of the profound tenderness of his Master.Till he send forth judgment unto victory.--In the Hebrew, unto truth. The citation was apparently from memory. What is implied in both readings is, that this tender compassion was to characterise the whole work of the Christ until the time of final judgment should arrive, and truth should at last prevail.