Matthew 11
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Matthew chapter 11 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
35 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 4 Fathers — Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Augustine, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, and Saint Athanasius the Great.
Matthew 11
1Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished directing His twelve disciples, that He moved on from there to teach and to preach in their cities.Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς διατάσσων τοῖς δώδεκα μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, μετέβη ἐκεῖθεν τοῦ διδάσκειν καὶ κηρύσσειν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν.
2And when John had heard in prison about the works of the Messiah, having sent two of his disciples,Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης ἀκούσας ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, πέμψας δύο τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ,
3he said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶμεν;
4Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John the things which you hear and see:καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάννῃ ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ βλέπετε·
5The blind receive 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.τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσι, καὶ χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσι, λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται, καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσι, νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται, καὶ πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται·
6And blessed is the one who is not offended because of Me.”καὶ μακάριός ἐστιν, ὃς ἐὰν μὴ σκανδαλισθῇ ἐν ἐμοί.
7Now as these men were going, Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?Τούτων δὲ πορευομένων, ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγειν τοῖς ὄχλοις περὶ Ἰωάννου, Τί ἐξήλθετε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον θεάσασθαι; κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευόμενον;
8But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft garments are in kings' houses.ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθετε ἰδεῖν; ἄνθρωπον ἐν μαλακοῖς ἱματίοις ἠμφιεσμένον; ἰδού, οἱ τὰ μαλακὰ φοροῦντες ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις τῶν βασιλείων εἰσίν.
9But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and far more than a prophet.ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθετε ἰδεῖν; προφήτην; ναί, λέγω ὑμῖν, καὶ περισσότερον προφήτου.
10For this is he about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’οὗτος γάρ ἐστι περὶ οὗ γέγραπται, Ἰδού, ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου.
11“Assuredly I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐκ ἐγήγερται ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν μείζων Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ· ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν.
12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men seize it.ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.πάντες γὰρ οἱ προφῆται καὶ ὁ νόμος ἕως Ἰωάννου προεφήτευσαν·
14And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.καὶ εἰ θέλετε δέξασθαι, αὐτός ἐστιν Ἠλίας ὁ μέλλων ἔρχεσθαι.
15He who has ears to hear, let him hear.ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω.
16But to what shall I compare this generation? It is similar to children who sit in the marketplaces and call to their playmates,Τίνι δὲ ὁμοιώσω τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην; ὁμοία ἐστὶ παιδίοις ἐν ἀγοραῖς καθημένοις, καὶ προσφωνοῦσι τοῖς ἑταίροις αὐτῶν,
17and say, ‘We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.’καὶ λέγουσιν, Ηὐλήσαμεν ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε· ἐθρηνήσαμεν ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐκ ἐκόψασθε.
18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ἦλθε γὰρ Ἰωάννης μήτε ἐσθίων μήτε πίνων, καὶ λέγουσι, Δαιμόνιον ἔχει.
19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ And so wisdom is justified by her children.”ἦλθεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων, καὶ λέγουσιν, Ἰδού, ἄνθρωπος φάγος καὶ οἰνοπότης, τελωνῶν φίλος καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν. καὶ ἐδικαιώθη ἡ σοφία ἀπὸ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς.
20Then He began to reproach the cities in which His very many miracles had been done, because they did not repent:Τότε ἤρξατο ὀνειδίζειν τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς ἐγένοντο αἱ πλεῖσται δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐ μετενόησαν.
21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! Because if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν, οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά, ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἐγένοντο αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν ὑμῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ μετενόησαν.
22Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.πλὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως, ἢ ὑμῖν.
23And you, Capernaum, the one having been exalted to heaven, you will be brought down to Hades; because if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.καὶ σύ, Καπερναούμ, ἡ ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθεῖσα, ἕως ᾍδου καταβιβασθήσῃ· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγένοντο αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί, ἔμειναν ἂν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον.
24But I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”πλὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι γῇ Σοδόμων ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως, ἢ σοί.
25At that time Jesus answered and said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes.Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, πάτερ, Κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἀπέκρυψας ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν, καὶ ἀπεκάλυψας αὐτὰ νηπίοις.
26Yes, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.ναί, ὁ πατήρ, ὅτι οὕτως ἐγένετο εὐδοκία ἔμπροσθέν σου.
27All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one fully knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone fully know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.πάντα μοι παρεδόθη ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου· καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐπιγινώσκει τὸν υἱόν, εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ· οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα τις ἐπιγινώσκει, εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱός, καὶ ᾧ ἐὰν βούληται ὁ υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψαι.
28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.δεῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς.
29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.ἄρατε τὸν ζυγόν μου ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς καὶ μάθετε ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾷός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ· καὶ εὑρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν.
30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”ὁ γὰρ ζυγός μου χρηστός, καὶ τὸ φορτίον μου ἐλαφρόν ἐστιν.
The Fathers on Matthew 11
Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Augustine, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, and Saint Athanasius the Great comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Matthew 11:1Saint John Chrysostom“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.”
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 11:1Saint AugustineMatthew proceeds with his narrative in the following terms: “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.
Read The Harmony of the Gospels →
On Matthew 11:1Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid1. 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. When He had sent the disciples, He Himself was quiet, not working miracles but only teaching in the synagogues. For if He Himself...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 11:7–9Saint John Chrysostom“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? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment; behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet?1560yea, I say unto you, and more than a
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 11:7Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid7. 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? Perhaps the multitudes heard John’s question and were scandalized that even John himself might be unsure of Christ and...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 11:8Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid8. But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. Denying them any basis for saying that John later became soft by giving himself over to luxury, He says, This cannot be; that his clothing is made of...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 11:9Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid9. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. John was more than a prophet because the other prophets only foretold Christ, while he was an eyewitness, indeed a great thing. And the others prophesied after their birth, while he,...
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On Matthew 11:25–26Saint John Chrysostom“At that time Jesus answered and said, I make acknowledgment unto Thee,1606O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth; because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight.”1607
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On Matthew 11:25, 30Saint AugustineMatthew proceeds thus: “At that time Jesus answered and said, I make my acknowledgment to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,” and so on, down to where we read,...
Read The Harmony of the Gospels →
On Matthew 11:25Saint AugustineWhen the Holy Gospel was being read, we heard that the Lord Jesus exulted in Spirit, and said, “I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast...
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On Matthew 11:25Saint AugustineWe have heard the Son of God saying, “I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth.” What doth he confess to Him?
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On Matthew 11:25Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid25. 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. This is what He is saying: I thank Thee, Father, that the Jews who seem to be wise and...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 11:26Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid26. Even so, Father: for such was Thy good will. Here He shows the Father’s love for man, in that the Father revealed the mysteries to the babes, without having been called upon by anyone to do so, but because it so pleased Him to do from the beginning. For [the Greek word...
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On Matthew 11:27Saint Athanasius the Great§1. This text refers not to the eternal Word but to the Incarnate. “All things were delivered to Me by My Father. And none knoweth Who the Son is, save the Father.”
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On Matthew 11:27Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid27 a. All things are given unto Me by My Father. In His preceding words, He said to the Father, "Father, Thou hast revealed." Lest you think that He Himself does nothing and that everything is of the Father, He says, "All things have been given to Me and both the Father and I...
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On Matthew 11:2Saint AugustineThe lesson of the Holy Gospel has set before us a question touching John the Baptist.
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On Matthew 11:2–3Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid2-3. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto Him, Art Thou He that cometh, or do we look for another? John did not ask as if he himself did not know Christ. How could this be when he had borne witness to Him,...
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On Matthew 11:24Saint AugustineThereafter Matthew goes on as follows: “Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not;” and so on, down to where we read, “It shall be more tolerable for the land of...
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On Matthew 11:23–24Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid23-24. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto the heavens, shalt be brought down to hades: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the...
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On Matthew 11:28Saint AugustineWe heard in the Gospel that the Lord, rejoicing greatly in Spirit, said unto God the Father, “I confess to 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.
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On Matthew 11:28Saint AugustineIt seems strange to some, Brethren, when they hear the Lord say, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.
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On Matthew 11:28Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid28. Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. He calls all mankind, not only the Jews, but also the Gentiles. By those "that labour" understand the Jews, who follow the strict observances of the law and labor in the occupation of...
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On Matthew 11:29–30Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid29-30. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me that I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. The yoke of Christ is humility and meekness. For he who humbles himself before all men has rest and remains...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 11:4–6Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid4-6. Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and declare unto John those things which ye do hear and see: 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 good tidings. And blessed is he,...
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On Matthew 11:10Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid10. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send My angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. John was called an angel, both because of his angelic and almost immaterial way of life, and because he announced and proclaimed Christ. He prepared...
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On Matthew 11:11Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid11. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist. He declares this with certainty, that there is no one greater than John. But by saying "born of women" He excludes Himself, for Christ was born of a virgin, not...
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On Matthew 11:12Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. It would seem that this does not follow the train of thought, but it does. Consider this: Christ, by saying of Himself that He is greater than John,...
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On Matthew 11:13Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid13. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. This, too, follows the same train of thought. For He is saying, I am He that cometh, for all the prophets have been fulfilled. They would not have been fulfilled if I had not come. Therefore, await nothing further.
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 11:14Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid14. And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah, who was to come. If you are willing, He says, to accept it, that is, if you judge the matter with a good disposition of mind, and not spitefully, he is the one whom the prophet Malachi called Elijah who was to come (Malachi 4:5....
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On Matthew 11:15Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid15. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Thus urging them to ask and to learn.
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On Matthew 11:16–17Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid16-17. But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the market, and calling unto their fellows, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. It is the malcontent nature of...
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On Matthew 11:18–19Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid18-19. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners. He compares John’s way of life to mourning, for John showed...
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On Matthew 11:20Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid20. Then Jesus began to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not. After showing that He had done everything that He ought to have done, and they remained unrepentant, then He upbraids them.
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On Matthew 11:21Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid21. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! So that you might understand that those who did not believe were evil not by nature, but by choice, He calls to mind Bethsaida, the city of Andrew, Peter, Philip and the sons of Zebedee. Evil does not come from nature,...
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On Matthew 11:21–22Open Matthew 11 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid21-22. 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. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgement, than for you. He says that the Jews...
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