Matthew 11

Listen to Matthew 11

Messengers from John the Baptist

1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
2 1Now when John heard 2in prison about the deeds of 3the Christ, he sent word by 4his disciples
3 and said to him, "Are you 5the one who is to come, or shall we 6look for another?"
4 And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:
5 7the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers[a] are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and 8the poor have good news preached to them.
6 And blessed is the one who 9is not offended by me."
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out 10into the wilderness to see? 11A reed shaken by the wind?
8 What then did you go out to see? A man[b] dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9 What then did you go out to see? 12A prophet?[c] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 This is he of whom it is written, 13"'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 14From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,[d] and the violent take it by force.
13 15For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,
14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is 16Elijah who is to come.
15 17He who has ears to hear,[e] let him hear.
16 "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
17 "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'
18 For John came 18neither eating 19nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'
19 The Son of Man came 20eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, 21a friend of 22tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."[f]

Woe to Unrepentant Cities

20 23Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
21 24"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in 25Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 26But I tell you, it will be more bearable on 27the day of judgment for 28Tyre and Sidon than for you.
23 And you, 29Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to 30Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24 31But I tell you that 32it will be more tolerable on 33the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."

Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest

25 34At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, 35Lord of heaven and earth, that 36you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and 37revealed them to little children;
26 yes, Father, for such was your 38gracious will.[g]
27 39All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son 40except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone 41to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 42Come to 43me, all who labor and are 44heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and 45learn from me, for I am 46gentle and lowly in heart, and 47you will find rest for your souls.
30 For 48my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Images for Matthew 11

Cross References 48

  • 1. For ver. 2-19, see Luke 7:18-35
  • 2. Matthew 14:3; [Matthew 4:12]
  • 3. See Matthew 1:17
  • 4. See Matthew 9:14
  • 5. John 4:25; John 6:14; John 11:27
  • 6. [Luke 3:15]
  • 7. See Luke 7:22
  • 8. Luke 4:18; [Matthew 5:3; James 2:5]
  • 9. Isaiah 8:14, 15; John 6:61
  • 10. Matthew 3:1; Luke 1:80
  • 11. [Ephesians 4:14; James 1:6]
  • 12. Matthew 14:5; Matthew 21:26; Luke 1:76
  • 13. Mark 1:2; Cited from Malachi 3:1
  • 14. Luke 16:16
  • 15. [See ver. 12 above]
  • 16. Matthew 17:10-13; Malachi 4:5; Mark 9:11-13; Luke 1:17; [John 1:21]
  • 17. Matthew 13:9, 43; Luke 8:8; Luke 14:35
  • 18. Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6
  • 19. Luke 1:15
  • 20. Matthew 9:10; Luke 7:36; Luke 14:1; John 2:1; John 12:2
  • 21. Matthew 9:11; Luke 15:2; Luke 19:7
  • 22. Matthew 18:17
  • 23. [Psalms 81:11-13; Isaiah 1:2-5]
  • 24. For ver. 21-24, see Luke 10:12-15
  • 25. Matthew 15:21; Mark 3:8; [Isaiah 23; Ezekiel 28:2-24; Amos 1:9, 10]
  • 26. [Luke 12:47, 48]
  • 27. See Acts 17:31
  • 28. [See ver. 21 above]
  • 29. Cited from Isaiah 14:13-15
  • 30. Matthew 16:18(Gk.); Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27
  • 31. [See ver. 22 above]
  • 32. Matthew 10:15
  • 33. [See ver. 22 above]
  • 34. For ver. 25-27, see Luke 10:21, 22
  • 35. See Acts 17:24
  • 36. Job 37:24; 1 Corinthians 1:19-27; 2 Corinthians 3:14
  • 37. Matthew 21:16; Psalms 8:2; [Matthew 13:11; Matthew 16:17]
  • 38. Luke 12:32; Galatians 1:15
  • 39. See Matthew 28:18
  • 40. [John 1:18; John 6:46; John 7:29; John 8:19; John 10:15; John 17:25]
  • 41. [John 17:26]
  • 42. John 7:37; [John 6:37]
  • 43. [ver. 3]
  • 44. [Matthew 23:4; Luke 11:46]
  • 45. John 13:15; Ephesians 4:20; Philippians 2:5; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6
  • 46. Zechariah 9:9; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Philippians 2:7, 8; [Matthew 5:5]
  • 47. Jeremiah 6:16
  • 48. 1 John 5:3

Footnotes 7

  • [a]. Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
  • [b]. Or Why then did you go out? To see a man...
  • [c]. Some manuscripts Why then did you go out? To see a prophet?
  • [d]. Or has been coming violently
  • [e]. Some manuscripts omit to hear
  • [f]. Some manuscripts children (compare Luke 7:35)
  • [g]. Or for so it pleased you well

Matthew 11 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.