Matthew 11
11
In Praise of John the Baptist
1When Jesus had finished giving orders to His 12 disciples, He moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns. # Mt 7:28; 9:35; Lk 23:5 2When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent a message by his disciples # Lk 7:18-35 3and asked Him, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else? ” # Ps 118:26; Jn 6:14; 11:27; Heb 10:37
4Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5the blind see, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, # Lit cleansed the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. # Is 35:5; 61:1; Lk 4:18; Jms 2:5 6And if anyone is not offended because of Me, he is blessed.” # Is 8:14-15; Mt 13:21; Jn 6:61; 16:1
7As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? # Mt 3:1; Eph 4:14 8What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? Look, those who wear soft clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. # Mt 14:5; 21:26; Lk 1:76 10This is the one it is written about:
Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of You; # Lit messenger before Your face
he will prepare Your way before You. # Mal 3:1; Mk 1:2 # Mal 3:1
11“I assure you: Among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, # Lit arisen but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, # Or has been forcefully advancing and the violent have been seizing it by force. 13For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John; 14if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come. # Mal 4:5; Mt 17:10-13; Mk 9:11-13; Lk 1:17; Jn 1:21 15Anyone who has ears # Other mss add to hear should listen! # Mt 13:9; Mk 4:23; Lk 8:8; 14:35; Rv 2:7
An Unresponsive Generation
16“To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to each other:
17We played the flute for you,
but you didn’t dance;
we sang a lament,
but you didn’t mourn! # Or beat your breasts
18For John did not come eating or drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon! ’ # Mt 3:4; Lk 1:15 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, # Mt 9:10; Lk 7:36; 14:1; Jn 2:1; 12:2 a friend of tax collectors and sinners! ’ # Mt 9:11; 18:17; Lk 15:2; 19:7 Yet wisdom is vindicated # Or declared right by her deeds.” # Other mss read children
20Then He proceeded to denounce the towns where most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent: 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! # Lk 10:12-15 Woe to you, Bethsaida! # Mk 6:45; Lk 9:10; Jn 12:21 For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, # Mt 15:21; Lk 6:17; Ac 12:20 they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago! 22But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment # Ezk 28:2-4; Am 1:9-10; Mt 10:15; 15:21; Mk 3:8 than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to Hades. # Is 14:13,15; Mt 4:13 For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
The Son Gives Knowledge and Rest
25At that time Jesus said, # Lk 10:21-22 “I praise # Or thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants. # Ps 8:2; Lk 22:42; Jn 11:41; 1Co 1:26; 2Co 3:14 26Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure. # Lit was well-pleasing in Your sight 27All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows # Or knows exactly the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires # Or wills, or chooses to reveal Him. # Mt 28:18; Jn 1:18; 7:29; 8:19; 10:15; 17:25-26
28“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. # Jr 31:25; Jn 7:37 29All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, # Jn 13:15; Eph 4:20; Php 2:5; 1Pt 2:21; 1Jn 2:6 because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. # Jr 6:16; Zch 9:9; 2Co 10:1; Php 2:7-8 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Currently Selected:
Matthew 11: HCSB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Matthew 11
11
Jesus and John the Baptist
1After Jesus finished telling these things to his twelve followers, he left there and went to the towns in Galilee to teach and preach.
2John the Baptist was in prison, but he heard about what the Christ was doing. So John sent some of his followers to Jesus. 3They asked him, “Are you the One who is to come, or should we wait for someone else?”
4Jesus answered them, “Go tell John what you hear and see: 5The blind can see, the crippled can walk, and people with skin diseases are healed. The deaf can hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor. 6Those who do not stumble in their faith because of me are blessed.”
7As John’s followers were leaving, Jesus began talking to the people about John. Jesus said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed blown by the wind? 8What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes live in kings’ palaces. 9So why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, and I tell you, John is more than a prophet. 10This was written about him:
‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare the way for you.’ #Malachi 3:1
11I tell you the truth, John the Baptist is greater than any other person ever born, but even the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. 12Since the time John the Baptist came until now, the kingdom of heaven has been going forward in strength, and people have been trying to take it by force. 13All the prophets and the law of Moses told about what would happen until the time John came. 14And if you will believe what they said, you will believe that John is Elijah, whom they said would come. 15Let those with ears use them and listen!
16“What can I say about the people of this time? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, who call out to each other,
17‘We played music for you, but you did not dance;
we sang a sad song, but you did not cry.’
18John came and did not eat or drink like other people. So people say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine, and he is a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved to be right by what she does.”
Jesus Warns Unbelievers
20Then Jesus criticized the cities where he did most of his miracles, because the people did not change their lives and stop sinning. 21He said, “How terrible for you, Korazin! How terrible for you, Bethsaida! If the same miracles I did in you had happened in Tyre and Sidon, those people would have changed their lives a long time ago. They would have worn rough cloth and put ashes on themselves to show they had changed. 22But I tell you, on the Judgment Day it will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be thrown down to the depths. If the miracles I did in you had happened in Sodom, its people would have stopped sinning, and it would still be a city today. 24But I tell you, on the Judgment Day it will be better for Sodom than for you.”
Jesus Offers Rest to People
25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the people who are wise and smart. But you have shown them to those who are like little children. 26Yes, Father, this is what you really wanted.
27“My Father has given me all things. No one knows the Son, except the Father. And no one knows the Father, except the Son and those whom the Son chooses to tell.
28“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. 30The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.