Christian Standard Bible
Matthew 11:23
23And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today.
Matthew 11:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Context of Matthew 11:23
21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago. 22But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” 25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants.
Read all of Matthew 11Matthew 11:23 word by word
Καὶ σὺ Καφαρναούμ, μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ; ἕως ᾅδου καταβήσῃ, ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί, ἔμεινεν ἂν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- CapernaumΚαπερναούμKapernaoum · CapernaumG2584
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- which art exaltedὑψόωhupsoō · to lift upG5312
- untoἕωςheōs · untilG2193
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- shalt be brought downκαταβιβάζωkatabibazō · to bring downG2601
- hellᾍδηςhadēs · hell: HadesG86
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- the mighty worksδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
- which have been doneγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- SodomΣόδομαSodoma · SodomG4670
- itμένωmenō · to stayG3306
- would haveἄνan · ifG302
- untilμέχριmechri mechris · untilG3360
- this dayσήμερονsēmeron · todayG4594
Cross-references for Matthew 11:23
- Matthew 4:13He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
- Matthew 8:5When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, pleading with him,
- Matthew 17:24When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
- Luke 4:23Then he said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Doctor, heal yourself. What we’ve heard that took place in Capernaum, do here in your hometown also.’”
- John 4:46He went again to Cana of Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a certain royal official whose son was ill at Capernaum.
- Isaiah 14:13You said to yourself, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will set up my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of the gods’ assembly, in the remotest parts of the North.
- Lamentations 2:1How the Lord has overshadowed Daughter Zion with his anger! He has thrown down Israel’s glory from heaven to earth. He did not acknowledge his footstool in the day of his anger.
- Ezekiel 28:12“Son of man, lament for the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord God says: You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
- Ezekiel 31:16I made the nations quake at the sound of its downfall, when I threw it down to Sheol to be with those who descend to the Pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all the well-watered trees, were comforted in the underworld.
- Obadiah 1:4Though you seem to soar like an eagle and make your nest among the stars, even from there I will bring you down. This is the Lord’s declaration.
- Luke 14:11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- 2 Peter 2:4For if God didn’t spare the angels who sinned but cast them into hell and delivered them in chains of utter darkness to be kept for judgment;
- Genesis 13:13(Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely against the Lord.)
- Genesis 19:24Then out of the sky the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah burning sulfur from the Lord.
- Ezekiel 16:48“‘As I live — the declaration of the Lord God — your sister Sodom and her daughters have not behaved as you and your daughters have.
- Jude 1:7Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns committed sexual immorality and perversions, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
Commentaries on Matthew 11:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Thou, Capernaum - exalted unto heaven - A Hebrew metaphor, expressive of the utmost prosperity, and the enjoyment of the greatest privileges. This was properly spoken of this city, because that in it our Lord dwelt, and wrought many of his miraculous works. Shalt be brought down to hell - Perhaps not meaning, here, the place of torment, but rather a state of desolation. The original word is Hades, , from , not, and , to see; the invisible receptacle or…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And thou, Capernaum - See the notes at Matthew 4:13. Which art exalted to heaven - This is an expression used to denote great privileges. He meant that they were especially favored with instruction. The city was prosperous. It was signally favored by its wealth. Most of all, it was signally favored by the presence, the preaching, and the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here he spent a large portion of his time in the early part of his ministry, and in…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-24Verses 16-24 Christ reflects on the scribes and Pharisees, who had a proud conceit of themselves. He likens their behaviour to children's play, who being out of temper without reason, quarrel with all the attempts of their fellows to please them, or to get them to join in the plays for which they used to assemble. The cavils of worldly men are often very trifling and show great malice. Something they have to urge against every one, however excellent and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23Hades: This is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew term Sheol (see study note on Psalm 6:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. And thou, Capernaum--(See on Mt 4:13). which art exalted unto heaven--Not even of Chorazin and Bethsaida is this said. For since at Capernaum Jesus had His stated abode during the whole period of His public life which He spent in Galilee, it was the most favored spot upon earth, the most exalted in privilege. shall be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom--destroyed for its pollutions. it…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 11:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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