Matthew 11:2

Matthew 11:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
• New International Version (NIV)When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

Context of Matthew 11:2

1Jesus taught all these things to his 12 disciples. After he had finished, he went away from that place. He went to the towns near there to teach his message to people. At that time, John the Baptist was in prison. But people told him about all the things that Jesus the Messiah was doing. So John sent some of his own disciples to ask Jesus some questions. 3They said to him, ‘John the Baptist wants to know this: Are you the special person that God has promised to send to us? If not, should we still look for someone else?’ 4Jesus replied, ‘Go back to John. Tell him what you have been hearing. Also, tell him what you have been seeing.

Matthew 11:2 word by word

Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης ἀκούσας ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, πέμψας διὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now whenδέde · thenG1161
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• had heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the prisonδεσμωτήριονdesmōtērion · prisonG1201
• the worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• of ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• he sentπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
• twoδύοduo · twoG1417
• ofμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Matthew 11:2

• Matthew 4:12Then Jesus heard that Herod had put John the Baptist in prison. So Jesus returned to Galilee.
• Matthew 14:3Before that, Herod had commanded his soldiers, ‘Take hold of John. Tie his hands and feet and put him in prison.’ Herod had done this because of his wife Herodias. Before Herod married her, she was the wife of Herod's brother Philip.
• Mark 6:17Herod himself had sent his soldiers to take hold of John. He had said to his soldiers, ‘Tie his hands and feet and put him in prison.’ Herod had done that because of his wife, Herodias. She had been the wife of Herod's brother, Philip. But Herod had married her.
• Luke 3:19One day John told Herod, the ruler, that it was wrong for him to marry Herodias. Before that, she had been the wife of Herod's brother. John also told Herod that he had done many other bad things.
• Luke 7:18Then some disciples of John the Baptist went to visit him in prison. They told him about all the things that Jesus was doing. So John chose two of them to go to the Lord Jesus for him.
• John 3:24(This happened before the rulers put John in prison.)
• Matthew 9:14Then the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus. They said to him, ‘We often decide to fast for a time. The disciples of the Pharisees also do that. Why do your disciples never do that?’
• John 3:25John's disciples began to argue with a certain Jew about some Jewish rules. Those rules told people how they should wash properly.
• John 4:1The Pharisees heard the news that many people were joining Jesus' group of disciples. They heard that Jesus was baptizing more disciples than John was baptizing.
• Acts 19:1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul travelled through the region of Asia. He arrived in Ephesus and he found some believers there.

Commentaries on Matthew 11:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2John had heard in the prison - John was cast into prison by order of Herod Antipas, Matthew 14:3, etc., (where see the notes), a little after our Lord began his public ministry, Matthew 4:12; and after the first passover, John 3:24.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The account contained in this chapter of Matthew, to the Matthew 11:19, is found, with no material variation, in Matthew 14:3-4. It is not certainly known why John sent to Jesus. It might have been to satisfy his disciples that he was the Messiah; or he might have been desirous of ascertaining for himself whether this person, of whom he heard so much, was the same one whom he had baptized, and whom he knew to be the Messiah. See John 1:29.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 2-6Verses 2-6 Some think that John sent this inquiry for his own satisfaction. Where there is true faith, yet there may be a mixture of unbelief. The remaining unbelief of good men may sometimes, in an hour of temptation; call in question the most important truths. But we hope that John's faith did not fail in this matter, and that he only desired to have it strengthened and confirmed. Others think that John sent his disciples to Christ for their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2This section focuses on two main reactions to Jesus: acceptance and rejection. The first part (Matthew 11:2–12:50) shows Jewish leaders rejecting Jesus, while his disciples are learning to understand and accept him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Now when John had heard in the prison--For the account of this imprisonment, see on Mr 6:17-20. the works of Christ, he sent, &c.--On the whole passage, see on Lu 7:18-35. The connection of this with what goes before it and the similarity of its tone make it evident, we think, that it was delivered on the same occasion, and that it is but a new and more comprehensive series of reflections in the same strain.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 11:2

• Doubting
• Imprisonment
• Jesus, the Christ
• John
• Prisoners

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Dungeon
• Easy
• Justify
• Learn
• Lowly
• Meek
• Mighty
• Pipe

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