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 Baptizer
1When Jesus finished placing this charge before his twelve disciples, he went on to teach and preach in their villages.
2-3John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples to ask, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?”
4-6Jesus told them, “Go back and tell John what’s going on:
The blind see,
The lame walk,
Lepers are cleansed,
The deaf hear,
The dead are raised,
The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.
“Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!”
7-10When John’s disciples left to report, Jesus started talking to the crowd about John. “What did you expect when you went out to see him in the wild? A weekend camper? Hardly. What then? A sheik in silk pajamas? Not in the wilderness, not by a long shot. What then? A prophet? That’s right, a prophet! Probably the best prophet you’ll ever hear. He is the prophet that Malachi announced when he wrote, ‘I’m sending my prophet ahead of you, to make the road smooth for you.’
11-14“Let me tell you what’s going on here: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer; but in the kingdom he prepared you for, the lowliest person is ahead of him. For a long time now people have tried to force themselves into God’s kingdom. But if you read the books of the Prophets and God’s Law closely, you will see them culminate in John, teaming up with him in preparing the way for the Messiah of the kingdom. Looked at in this way, John is the ‘Elijah’ you’ve all been expecting to arrive and introduce the Messiah.
15“Are you listening to me? Really listening?
16-19“How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.’ John came fasting and they called him crazy. I came feasting and they called me a boozer, a friend of the misfits. Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
The Unforced Rhythms of Grace
20Next Jesus unleashed on the cities where he had worked the hardest but whose people had responded the least, shrugging their shoulders and going their own way.
21-24“Doom to you, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had seen half of the powerful miracles you have seen, they would have been on their knees in a minute. At Judgment Day they’ll get off easy compared to you. And Capernaum! With all your peacock strutting, you are going to end up in the abyss. If the people of Sodom had had your chances, the city would still be around. At Judgment Day they’ll get off easy compared to you.”
25-26Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”
27Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. “The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.
28-30“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.