Matthew 11
Complete Jewish Bible
11 After Yeshua had finished instructing the twelve talmidim, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns nearby.
2 Meanwhile, Yochanan the Immerser, who had been put in prison, heard what the Messiah had been doing; so he sent a message to him through his talmidim, 3 asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for someone else?” 4 Yeshua answered, “Go and tell Yochanan what you are hearing and seeing — 5 the blind are seeing again, the lame are walking, people with tzara’at are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing,[a] the dead are being raised,[b] the Good News is being told to the poor[c] — 6 and how blessed is anyone not offended by me!”
7 As they were leaving, Yeshua began speaking about Yochanan to the crowds: “What did you go out to the desert to see? Reeds swaying in the breeze? 8 No? then what did you go out to see? Someone who was well dressed? Well-dressed people live in kings’ palaces. 9 Nu, so why did you go out? To see a prophet! Yes! and I tell you he’s much more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom the Tanakh says,
‘See, I am sending out my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.’[d]
11 Yes! I tell you that among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than Yochanan the Immerser! Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he! 12 From the time of Yochanan the Immerser until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been suffering violence; yes, violent ones are trying to snatch it away. 13 For all the prophets and the Torah prophesied until Yochanan. 14 Indeed, if you are willing to accept it, he is Eliyahu, whose coming was predicted. 15 If you have ears, then hear!
16 “Oh, what can I compare this generation with? They’re like children sitting in the marketplaces, calling out to each other,
17 ‘We made happy music,
but you wouldn’t dance!
We made sad music,
but you wouldn’t cry!’
18 For Yochanan came, fasting, not drinking — so they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came, eating freely and drinking wine — so they say, ‘Aha! A glutton and a drunkard! A friend of tax-collectors and sinners!’ Well, the proof of wisdom is in the actions it produces.”
20 Then Yeshua began to denounce the towns in which he had done most of his miracles, because the people had not turned from their sins to God. 21 “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Beit-Tzaidah! Why, if the miracles done in you had been done in Tzor and Tzidon, they would long ago have put on sackcloth and ashes as evidence that they had changed their ways. 22 But I tell you it will be more bearable for Tzor and Tzidon than for you on the Day of Judgment! 23 And you, K’far-Nachum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Sh’ol![e] For if the miracles done in you had been done in S’dom, it would still be in existence today. 24 But I tell you that on the Day of Judgment it will be more bearable for the land of S’dom than for you!”
25 It was at that time that Yeshua said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you concealed these things from the sophisticated and educated and revealed them to ordinary folks. 26 Yes, Father, I thank you that it pleased you to do this.
27 “My Father has handed over everything to me. Indeed, no one fully knows the Son except the Father, and no one fully knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.[f] 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 11:5 Isaiah 35:5–6
- Matthew 11:5 Isaiah 26:19
- Matthew 11:5 Isaiah 61:1
- Matthew 11:10 Malachi 3:1
- Matthew 11:23 Isaiah 14:13, 15
- Matthew 11:29 Jeremiah 6:16
Matthew 11
Names of God Bible
11 After Yeshua finished giving his twelve disciples these instructions, he moved on from there to teach his message in their cities.
John Sends Two Disciples(A)
2 When John was in prison, he heard about the things Christ had done. So he sent his disciples 3 to ask Yeshua, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?”
4 Yeshua answered John’s disciples, “Go back, and tell John what you hear and see: 5 Blind people see again, lame people are walking, those with skin diseases are made clean, deaf people hear again, dead people are brought back to life, and poor people hear the Good News. 6 Whoever doesn’t lose his faith in me is indeed blessed.”
Jesus Speaks about John(B)
7 As they were leaving, Yeshua spoke to the crowds about John. “What did you go into the desert to see? Tall grass swaying in the wind? 8 Really, what did you go to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Those who wear fine clothes are in royal palaces.
9 “Really, what did you go to see? A prophet? Let me tell you that he is far more than a prophet. 10 John is the one about whom Scripture says,
‘I’m sending my messenger ahead of you
to prepare the way in front of you.’
11 “I can guarantee this truth: Of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John the Baptizer. Yet, the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. 12 From the time of John the Baptizer until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful people have been seizing it. 13 All the Prophets and Moses’ Teachings prophesied up to the time of John. 14 If you are willing to accept their message, John is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Let the person who has ears listen!
16 “How can I describe the people who are living now? They are like children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to other children,
17 ‘We played music for you,
but you didn’t dance.
We sang a funeral song,
but you didn’t show any sadness.’
18 “John came neither eating nor drinking, and people say, ‘There’s a demon in him!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He’s a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
“Yet, wisdom is proved right by its actions.”
Jesus Warns Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum
20 Then Yeshua denounced the cities where he had worked most of his miracles because they had not changed the way they thought and acted. 21 “How horrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How horrible it will be for you, Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had been worked in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed the way they thought and acted long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? No, you will go down to hell! If the miracles that had been worked in you had been worked in Sodom, it would still be there today. 24 I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Sodom than for you.”
Jesus Praises the Father and Invites Disciples to Come to Him
25 At that time Yeshua said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from wise and intelligent people and revealing them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.
27 “My Father has turned everything over to me. Only the Father knows the Son. And no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29 Place my yoke[a] over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves 30 because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 11:29 A yoke is a wooden bar placed over the necks of work animals so that they can pull plows or carts.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.