Matthew 8:22

But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” ¹ 

But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

But Jesus *said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."

But Jesus told him, "Follow me now! Let those who are spiritually dead care for their own dead."

Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. Follow me. Pursue life."

But Jesus said to him, Come after me; and let the dead take care of their dead.

But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” ¹ 

¹ sn There are several options for the meaning of Jesus’ reply Leave the dead to bury their own dead: (1) Recent research suggests that burial customs in the vicinity of Jerusalem from about 20 b.c. to a.d. 70 involved a reinterment of the bones a year after the initial burial, once the flesh had rotted away. At that point the son would have placed his father’s bones in a special box known as an ossuary to be set into the wall of the tomb. Thus Jesus could well be rebuking the man for wanting to wait around for as much as a year before making a commitment to follow him. In 1st century Jewish culture, to have followed Jesus rather than burying one’s father would have seriously dishonored one’s father (cf. Tobit 4:3-4). (2) The remark is an idiom (possibly a proverbial saying) that means, “The matter in question is not the real issue,” in which case Jesus was making a wordplay on the wording of the man’s (literal) request (see L&N 33.137). (3) This remark could be a figurative reference to various kinds of people, meaning, “Let the spiritually dead bury the dead.” (4) It could also be literal and designed to shock the hearer by the surprise of the contrast. Whichever option is preferred, it is clear that the most important priority is to follow Jesus.