Matthew 11
11
John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus
1Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to #Matt. 9:35; Luke 23:5teach and to preach in their cities.
2#Luke 7:18–35And when John had heard #Matt. 4:12; 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 9:7in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3and said to Him, “Are You #Gen. 49:10; Num. 24:17; Deut. 18:15, 18; Dan. 9:24; John 6:14the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
4Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5#Is. 29:18; 35:4–6; John 2:23The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and #Ps. 22:26; Is. 61:1; Luke 4:18; James 2:5the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6And blessed is he who is not #Is. 8:14, 15; (Rom. 9:32); 1 Pet. 2:8offended because of Me.”
7#Luke 7:24As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? #(Eph. 4:14)A reed shaken by the wind? 8But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, #Matt. 14:5; 21:26; Luke 1:76; 20:6and more than a prophet. 10For this is he of whom it is written:
#Mal. 3:1; Mark 1:2; Luke 1:76‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
11“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12#Luke 16:16And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13#Mal. 4:4–6For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14And if you are willing to receive it, he is #Mal. 4:5; Matt. 17:10–13; Mark 9:11–13; Luke 1:17; John 1:21Elijah who is to come. 15#Matt. 13:9; Luke 8:8; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
16#Luke 7:31“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17and saying:
‘We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.’
18For 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 winebibber, #Matt. 9:10a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ #Luke 7:35; John 2:1–11But wisdom is justified by her children.”
Woe to the Impenitent Cities
20#Luke 10:13–15, 18Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago #Jon. 3:6–8in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I say to you, #Matt. 10:15; 11:24it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, #Is. 14:13; Lam. 2:1; Ezek. 26:20; 31:14; 32:18, 24who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I say to you #Matt. 10:15that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”
Jesus Gives True Rest
25#Luke 10:21, 22At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that #Ps. 8:2; 1 Cor. 1:19; (2 Cor. 3:14)You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent #Matt. 16:17and have revealed them to babes. 26Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27#Matt. 28:18; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 13:3; 1 Cor. 15:27All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. #John 1:18; 6:46; 10:15Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28Come to #(John 6:35–37)Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you #(John 13:15); Eph. 4:2; (Phil. 2:5; 1 Pet. 2:21; 1 John 2:6)and learn from Me, for I am gentle and #Zech. 9:9; (Phil. 2:7, 8)lowly in heart, #Jer. 6:16and you will find rest for your souls. 30#(1 John 5:3)For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
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Matthew 11: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Matthew 11
11
John the Baptist
(Luke 7.18-35)
1After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he left and began teaching and preaching in the towns.#11.1 the towns: The Greek text has “their towns”, which may refer to the towns of Galilee or to the towns where Jesus' disciples had lived.
2John was in prison when he heard what Christ was doing. So John sent some of his followers 3to ask Jesus, “Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else?”
4Jesus answered, “Go and tell John what you have heard and seen. 5The blind are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People with leprosy#11.5 leprosy: See the note at 8.2. are being healed, and the deaf can hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news.#Is 35.5,6; Is 61.1. 6God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do.”
7As John's followers were going away, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John:
What sort of person did you go out into the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? 8What kind of man did you go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who dress like that live in the king's palace. 9What did you really go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was. I tell you that he was more than a prophet. 10In the Scriptures God says about him, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you.”#Ml 3.1. 11I tell you that no one ever born on this earth is greater than John the Baptist. But whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John.
12From the time of John the Baptist until now, violent people have been trying to take over the kingdom of heaven by force.#Lk 16.16. 13All the Books of the Prophets and the Law of Moses#11.13 the Books of the Prophets and the Law of Moses: The Jewish Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament. told what was going to happen up to the time of John. 14And if you believe them, John is Elijah, the prophet you are waiting for.#Ml 4.5; Mt 17.10-13; Mk 9.11-13. 15If you have ears, pay attention!
16You people are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,
17“We played the flute,
but you would not dance!
We sang a funeral song,
but you would not mourn!”
18John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “That man has a demon in him!” 19But the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, and you say, “That man eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors#11.19 tax collectors: See the note at 5.46. and sinners.” Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what it does.
The unbelieving towns
(Luke 10.13-15)
20In the towns where Jesus had performed most of his miracles, the people refused to turn to God. So Jesus was upset with them and said:
21You people of Chorazin are in for trouble! You people of Bethsaida are in for trouble too! If the miracles that took place in your towns had happened in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have turned to God long ago. They would have dressed in sackcloth and put ashes on their heads.#11.21 sackcloth…ashes on their heads: This was one-way that people showed how sorry they were for their sins.#Is 23.1-18; Ez 26.1—28.26; Jl 3.4-8; Am 1.9,10; Zec 9.2-4. 22I tell you that on the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will.
23People of Capernaum, do you think you will be honoured in heaven? You will go down to hell! If the miracles that took place in your town had happened in Sodom, that town would still be standing.#Is 14.13-15; Gn 19.24-28. 24So I tell you that on the day of judgment the people of Sodom will get off easier than you.#Mt 10.15; Lk 10.12.
Come to me and rest
(Luke 10.21,22)
25At that moment Jesus said:
My Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I am grateful that you hid all this from wise and educated people and showed it to ordinary people. 26Yes, Father, that is what pleased you.
27My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.#Jn 3.35; Jn 1.18; 10.15.
28If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29Take the yoke#11.29 yoke: Yokes were put on the necks of animals, so that they could pull a plough or wagon. A yoke was a symbol of obedience and hard work. I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.#Jr 6.16. 30This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.
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