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Matthew 11

1When Jesus had finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he moved on from there to teach and proclaim in their towns.

2When John heard in prison about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent word through his disciples 3and said to him, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we expect someone else?” 4Jesus answered them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5the blind see again and the lame walk, people with leprosy are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the poor are given good news. 6And blessed is the one who does not stumble because of me.”

7As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8But what did you go out to see? A person dressed in soft clothing? Look, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10This is the one about whom it is written:

‘Look, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

11“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has arisen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent people seize it. 13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who was to come. 15Let the one who has ears hear.

16“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces who call to the others 17and say,

‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a lament, and you did not beat your breasts.’

18“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

20Then he began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had taken place, because they had not repented. 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds that took place in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? You will go down to Hades. For if the mighty deeds that took place in you had taken place in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24But I tell you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and discerning and revealed them to infants. 26Yes, Father, for this was pleasing in your sight. 27All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28“Come to me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Translation notes 6

11:2–6 — Messiah; good news. “Messiah” retains the title. The signs recall prophetic promises, including Isaiah 35 and 61. “Leprosy” refers to anciently classified skin diseases, not exclusively modern Hansen's disease. “Stumble” retains the image of taking offense and turning away because of Jesus. Some manuscripts say John sent “two” disciples; the base text says “through” his disciples.

11:10–11 — Messenger; least. The quotation recalls Malachi 3:1 with wording also resembling Exodus 23:20. “Before your face” means ahead of you. “The least” can also be understood as “the lesser one”; the comparison is not expanded into an identification of a particular person.

11:12 — Violence. The Greek is difficult. “Suffers violence” takes the verb as passive and fits the hostile force in the following clause and John's imprisonment. A significant alternative is “advances forcefully,” with forceful people taking hold of the kingdom. The reading does not identify the violent people or turn the saying into a command to use violence.

11:17–19 — Lament; wisdom. Beating the breast was a gesture of mourning. Wisdom is personified as “her”; grammatical gender does not establish a separate female being. “Deeds” follows the base text; other manuscripts have “children.”

11:23 — Hades. The realm of the dead is the image of Capernaum's humiliating downfall under judgment, contrasted with heaven. Good News Translation renders this term “hell,” as documented in the UBS commentary; this draft retains Hades to distinguish it from Gehenna. The warning is not weakened into an ordinary description of burial. The question expects a negative answer.

11:25–30 — Infants, yoke, souls. “Infants” retains the contrast with the wise. The yoke pictures accepting Jesus' direction. “Gentle” is the same word used in 5:5; “easy” can also suggest kind or gracious. “Your souls” refers to the people themselves and does not restrict rest to an immaterial part or to life after death.