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.
Matthew 11
Expanded Bible
Jesus and John the Baptist(A)
11 After Jesus finished ·telling these things to [instructing; see 7:28] his twelve ·followers [disciples], he left there and went to ·the towns in Galilee [L their towns] to teach and preach.
2 John the Baptist was in prison, but he heard about ·what Christ was doing [or the deeds/actions of the Messiah]. So John sent some of his ·followers [disciples] to Jesus. 3 They asked him, “Are you the ·One who is to come [Expected One; C the Messiah], or should we ·wait for [look for; expect] someone else?”
4 Jesus answered them, “Go ·tell [report to] John what you hear and see: 5 The blind can see, the ·crippled [lame] can walk, and ·people with skin diseases [T lepers; see 8:2] are ·healed [L cleansed]. The deaf can hear, the dead are raised to life, and the ·Good News [Gospel] is preached to the poor [C signs of God’s restoration of creation, predicted by the prophet Isaiah; Is. 29:18–19; 35:5–6; 61:1–2]. 6 Those who ·do not stumble in their faith [are not offended] because of me are blessed.”
7 As ·John’s followers [L they] were leaving, Jesus began talking to the ·people [crowds] about John. Jesus said, “What did you go out into the ·desert [wilderness] to see? A reed ·blown by [shaken by; swaying in] the wind [C a metaphor for something weak or wavering]? 8 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in ·fine [expensive] clothes? No, those who wear ·fine [expensive; L soft] clothes ·live [are found] in kings’ ·palaces [houses]. 9 So why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, and I tell you, John is more than a prophet. 10 This was written about him:
‘[L Look; T Behold] I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare ·the [your] way ·for [before; in front of] you [Mal. 3:1].’
11 I tell you the truth, John the Baptist is greater than any other person ·ever born [L born to women], but even the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John [C because John prepares for, but does not fully participate in the blessings of the kingdom]. 12 ·Since the time [L From the days] John the Baptist came until now, the kingdom of heaven has been ·going forward in strength [advancing forcefully; or subject to violence; suffering violent attacks], and ·forceful [or violent] people have been trying to ·take it by force [lay hold of it; or attack it]. 13 All the prophets and the law of Moses ·told about what would happen [L prophesied] until ·the time John came [L John]. 14 And if you ·will believe what they said, you will believe that John is Elijah [L are willing to accept it, he is Elijah], whom they said would come. 15 ·Let those with ears use them and listen[L The one who has ears to hear, let him hear]!
16 “·What can I say about the people of this time? What are they like? [L To what shall I compare this generation?] They are like children sitting in the marketplace, who call out to each other,
17 ‘We played ·music [L the pipe/flute] for you, but you did not dance;
we sang a ·sad song [funeral song; dirge], but you did not ·cry [weep].’ [C The religious leaders wanted John to “dance” (lighten up his severe message) and wanted Jesus to “mourn” (follow their restrictive lifestyle).]
18 [L For] John came and did not eat or drink like other people. So people say, ‘He ·has [is possessed by] a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! ·He eats too much and drinks too much wine [L He’s a glutton and a drunkard], and he is a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is ·proved to be right [vindicated] by ·what she does [or its deeds/actions/results; C Wisdom is personified as a woman (Prov. 8), her “children” being those who respond favorably to the message of John and Jesus].”
Jesus Warns Unbelievers(B)
20 Then Jesus began to ·criticize [denounce; reproach] the cities where he did ·most [so many] of his ·miracles [powerful deeds], because the people did not ·change their lives and stop sinning [repent]. 21 He said, “·How terrible for [L Woe to] you, Korazin! ·How terrible for [L Woe to] you, Bethsaida! If the same ·miracles [powerful deeds] ·I did [L that occurred] in you had happened in Tyre and Sidon [C cities in Phoenicia notorious for their wickedness], those people would have ·changed their lives [repented] a long time ago. ·They would have worn rough cloth and put ashes on themselves to show they had changed [L …in sackcloth/burlap and ashes; C signs of sorrow and deep remorse]. 22 But I tell you, on the judgment day it will be ·better [more bearable/tolerable] for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum [C a town in Galilee where Jesus lived and ministered], will you be ·lifted up to [honored/exalted in] heaven? No! you will be thrown down to ·the depths [the place of the dead; L Hades; Is. 14:13, 15]. If the ·miracles [powerful deeds] ·I did [L that occurred] in you had happened in Sodom [C a city God destroyed because the people were so evil; Gen. 19], it would ·still be a city [L have remained until] today [C because its people would have repented and judgment averted]. 24 But I tell you, on the judgment day it will be ·better [more bearable/tolerable] for [L the region/land of] Sodom than for you.”
Jesus Offers Rest to People(C)
25 At that time Jesus said, “I ·praise [bless; thank; acknowledge] you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the people who are wise and ·smart [learned; intelligent]. But you have ·shown [revealed] them to ·those who are like little children [L little children; infants; C those with a childlike faith]. 26 Yes, Father, [L because] this is what ·you really wanted [pleased you].
27 “My Father has ·given [entrusted/committed to] 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 [desires; intends] to ·tell [reveal it].
28 “Come to me, all of you who are ·tired [weary] and ·have heavy loads [overburdened; T heavy-laden] and I will give you rest. 29 ·Accept my teachings [L Take my yoke upon you] and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in ·spirit [heart], and you will find rest for your ·lives [souls; Jer. 6:16]. 30 ·The burden that I ask you to accept [L …because my yoke] is easy; ·the load I give you to carry [L and my burden] is light.”
Matthew 11
King James Version
11 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.
2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.