Focused Passage

Matthew 11:20-24

The Messiah Question, the Rejected Generation, and Rest for the Weary

Matthew moves from John’s question about Jesus, to Jesus’ validation of John, to indictment of an unbelieving generation, to denunciation of unrepentant towns, to praise for the Father’s gracious revelation, and finally to Jesus’ invitation to the weary.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, 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.

22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on 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.

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

ThenΤότεG5119Adverb[Jesus] beganἤρξατοG756Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singularto denounceὀνειδίζεινG3679Verb - Present Infinitive ActivetheτὰςG3588Article - Accusative Feminine PluralcitiesπόλειςG4172Noun - Accusative Feminine PluralinἐνG1722PrepositionwhichαἷςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Plural-αἱG3588Article - Nominative Feminine PluralmostπλεῖσταιG4118Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural - Superlativeof HisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularmiraclesδυνάμειςG1411Noun - Nominative Feminine Pluralhad been performedἐγένοντοG1096Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person PluralbecauseὅτιG3754ConjunctionvvvοὐG3756Adverbthey did not repentμετενόησανG3340Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Verse 21

Original words

WoeΟὐαίG3759Interjectionto youσοιG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person SingularChorazinΧοραζίνG5523Noun - Vocative Feminine SingularWoeοὐαίG3759Interjectionto youσοιG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person SingularBethsaidaΒηθσαϊδάG966Noun - Vocative Feminine SingularForὅτιG3754ConjunctionifεἰG1487ConjunctiontheαἱG3588Article - Nominative Feminine PluralmiraclesδυνάμειςG1411Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural[that]αἱG3588Article - Nominative Feminine Pluralwere performedγενόμεναιG1096Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Feminine PluralinἐνG1722PrepositionyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Pluralhad been performedἐγένοντοG1096Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person PluralinἐνG1722PrepositionTyreΤύρῳG5184Noun - Dative Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionSidonΣιδῶνιG4605Noun - Dative Feminine Singular-ἂνG302Particlethey would have repentedμετενόησανG3340Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plurallong agoπάλαιG3819AdverbinἐνG1722PrepositionsackclothσάκκῳG4526Noun - Dative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionashesσποδῷG4700Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Verse 22

Original words

ButπλὴνG4133ConjunctionI tellλέγωG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Pluralit will beἔσταιG1510Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singularmore bearableἀνεκτότερονG414Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular - Comparativefor TyreΤύρῳG5184Noun - Dative Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionSidonΣιδῶνιG4605Noun - Dative Feminine SingularonἐνG1722Preposition[the] dayἡμέρᾳG2250Noun - Dative Feminine Singularof judgmentκρίσεωςG2920Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularthanG2228Conjunctionfor youὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Verse 23

Original words

AndΚαὶG2532ConjunctionyouσύG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person SingularCapernaumΚαφαρναούμG2584Noun - Vocative Feminine Singular-μὴG3361Adverbwill you be lifted upὑψωθήσῃG5312Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 2nd Person SingulartoἕωςG2193PrepositionheavenοὐρανοῦG3772Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular[No], you will be brought downκαταβήσῃG2597Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person SingulartoἕωςG2193PrepositionHadesᾅδουG86Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularForὅτιG3754ConjunctionifεἰG1487ConjunctiontheαἱG3588Article - Nominative Feminine PluralmiraclesδυνάμειςG1411Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural[that]αἱG3588Article - Nominative Feminine Pluralwere performedγενόμεναιG1096Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Feminine PluralinἐνG1722PrepositionyouσοίG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singularhad been performedἐγενήθησανG1096Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person PluralinἐνG1722PrepositionSodomΣοδόμοιςG4670Noun - Dative Neuter PluralvvvἂνG302Particleit would have remainedἔμεινενG3306Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartoμέχριG3360PrepositionthisτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingulardayσήμερονG4594Adverb
Verse 24

Original words

ButπλὴνG4133ConjunctionI tellλέγωG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralthatὅτιG3754Conjunctionit will beἔσταιG1510Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singularmore bearableἀνεκτότερονG414Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular - Comparative-γῇG1093Noun - Dative Feminine Singularfor SodomΣοδόμωνG4670Noun - Genitive Neuter PluralonἐνG1722Preposition[the] dayἡμέρᾳG2250Noun - Dative Feminine Singularof judgmentκρίσεωςG2920Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularthanG2228Conjunctionfor youσοίG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.