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. 5#Is 35.5,6; Is 61.1. The 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. 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. 10#Ml 3.1. In the Scriptures God says about him, “I am sending my messenger ahead to get things ready for you.” 11I tell you 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.
12 #
Lk 16.16. From the time of John the Baptist until now, violent people have been trying to take over the kingdom of heaven by force. 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. 14#Ml 4.5; Mt 17.10-13; Mk 9.11-13. And if you believe them, John is Elijah, the prophet you are waiting for. 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 worked most of his miracles, the people refused to turn to God. So Jesus was upset with them and said:
21 #
Is 23.1-18; Ez 26.1—28.26; Jl 3.4-8; Am 1.9,10; Zec 9.2-4. You people of Chorazin are in for trouble! You people of Bethsaida are in for trouble too! If the miracles that took place here 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. 22I tell you on the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will.
23 #
Is 14.13-15;
Gn 19.24-28. People of Capernaum, do you think you will be honored in heaven? You will go down to hell! If the miracles that took place in your town had happened in Sodom, it would still be standing. 24#Mt 10.15; Lk 10.12. So I tell you on the day of judgment the people of Sodom will get off easier than you.
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, this is what pleased you.
27 #
Jn 3.35;
Jn 1.18; 10.15. My 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 they can know him too.
28 #
Si 6.24-30; 24.19; 51.23-26. If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29#Jr 6.16. Take the yoke#11.29 yoke: Yokes were put on the necks of animals, so that they could pull a plow 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. 30This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 11
11
1And it came to pass when Jesus had finished commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and preach in their cities. 2But John, having heard in the prison the works of the Christ, sent by his disciples, 3and said to him, Art thou the coming one? or are we to wait for another? 4And Jesus answering said to them, Go, report to John what ye hear and see. 5Blind men see and lame walk; lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear; and dead are raised, and poor have glad tidings preached to them: 6and blessed is whosoever shall not be offended in me.
7But as they went away, Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed moved about by the wind? 8But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in delicate raiment? behold, those who wear delicate things are in the houses of kings. 9But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet: 10this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. 11Verily I say to you, that there is not arisen among the born of women a greater than John the baptist. But he who is a little one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. 12But from the days of John the baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence, and the violent seize on it. 13For all the prophets and the law have prophesied unto John. 14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, who is to come. 15He that has ears to hear, let him hear.
16But to whom shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the markets, which, calling to their companions, 17say, We have piped to you, and ye have not danced: we have mourned to you, and ye have not wailed. 18For John has come neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon. 19The Son of man has come eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a man that is eating and wine-drinking, a friend of tax-gatherers, and of sinners: — and wisdom has been justified by her children. 20Then began he to reproach the cities in which most of his works of power had taken place, because they had not repented. 21Woe to thee, Chorazin! woe to thee Bethsaida! for if the works of power which have taken place in you, had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they had long ago repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I say to you, that it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in judgment-day than for you. 23And thou, Capernaum, who hast been raised up to heaven, shalt be brought down even to hades. For if the works of power which have taken place in thee, had taken place in Sodom, it had remained until this day. 24But I say to you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in judgment-day than for thee.
25At that time, Jesus answering said, I praise thee, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes. 26Yea, Father, for thus has it been well-pleasing in thy sight. 27All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son but the Father, nor does any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son may be pleased to reveal him. 28Come to me, all ye who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls; 30for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.