Matthew 11

Modern

Literal

John’s Inquiry

¹After Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.^a

¹And it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

²Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples^a

²And John, having heard in the prison the works of the Christ, having sent through his disciples,

³to ask Him, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”

³said to Him, “Are You the coming One, or do we look for another?”

⁴Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:

⁴And answering, Jesus said to them, “Having gone, report to John what you hear and see:

⁵The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers^a are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

⁵The blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear and the dead are raised and the poor have good news proclaimed.

⁶Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”^a

⁶And blessed is the one who shall not be caused to stumble in Me.”

Jesus Testifies about John

⁷As John’s disciples were leaving, 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?

⁷And as these are going, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

⁸Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces.

⁸But what did you go out to see? A man having been dressed in soft garments? Behold, those wearing soft garments are in the houses of kings.

⁹What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

⁹But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one more than a prophet.

¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written:

‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You,

who will prepare Your way before You.’^a

¹⁰This is he about whom it has been written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’

¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

¹¹Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the least in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he.

¹²From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence,^a and the violent lay claim to it.

¹²And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens is subject to violence, and the violent seize it.

¹³For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

¹⁴And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.^a

¹⁴And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah, the one being about to come.

¹⁵He who has ears,^a let him hear.

¹⁵The one having ears, let him hear!

¹⁶To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁶But to what will I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others,

¹⁷‘We played the flute for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge,

and you did not mourn.’

¹⁷saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

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 at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”

¹⁹The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a man, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and of sinners!’ But wisdom was justified from her works.”

Woe to the Unrepentant

²⁰Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.

²⁰Then He began to reproach the cities in which most of His miracles happened, because they did not repent.

²¹“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

²¹“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles having happened in you had happened in Tyre and Sidon, long ago in sackcloth and ashes they would have repented.

²²But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

²²But I say to you, for Tyre and Sidon it will be more bearable in the day of judgment than for you.

²³And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

²³And you, Capernaum, to heaven will you be lifted up? To Hades you will be brought down! For if the miracles having happened in you had happened in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

²⁴But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

²⁴But I say to you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

Rest for the Weary

²⁵At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

²⁵In that time, answering, Jesus said, “I acknowledge You, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, because You hid these things from the wise and intelligent, and You revealed them to little children.

²⁶Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.

²⁶Yes, Father, because of this it was good pleasure before You.

²⁷All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

²⁷All things were delivered to Me by My Father. And no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and the one to whom the Son may resolve to reveal Him.

²⁸Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

²⁸Come to Me, all those toiling and 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.

²⁹Take up My yoke upon you and learn from Me, because 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.”