Matthew 11:20

Matthew 11:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
• New International Version (NIV)Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:

Context of Matthew 11:20

18People today are like those children. John the Baptist did not eat ordinary food. He never drank wine. So people say that he has a bad spirit in him. 19Then I, the Son of Man, came. I eat meals with other people and I drink wine. So people say about me, “Look at him! He eats too much and he drinks too much. He is a friend of bad people and men who take taxes from people.” God is wise. The good things that he does show that he is right.’ In some of the cities Jesus had done many powerful things. But some people in those cities did not want to stop doing wrong things. They did not want to change how they lived. So Jesus spoke against those people. 21He said to them, ‘You people in Chorazin, it will be very bad for you! And it will be very bad for you, people in Bethsaida. I have done great and powerful things in your cities. If I had done such great things in Tyre and in Sidon, the people there would have changed how they lived. They would have shown they were sorry for their sins. They would have put on clothes made from goat's hair. They would also have put ashes on their heads. 22Yes, when God judges everyone, he will punish the people from Tyre and Sidon. But he will punish much more you people from Chorazin and Bethsaida.

Matthew 11:20 word by word

Τότε ἤρξατο ὀνειδίζειν τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς ἐγένοντο αἱ πλεῖσται δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ ὅτι οὐ μετενόησαν·¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• began heἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
• to upbraidὀνειδίζωoneidezō · to revileG3679
• the citiesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the citiesπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• whereinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• whereinὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• mostπλεῖστοςpleistos · mostG4118
• ofδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• were doneγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• they repentedμετανοέωmetanoeō · to repentG3340
• notοὐou · noG3756

Cross-references for Matthew 11:20

• Luke 10:13Jesus then said, ‘You people in Chorazin, things will be bad for you! And things will be bad for you, people in Bethsaida. I have done great and powerful things in your cities. If I had done such great things in Tyre and in Sidon, the people there would have changed how they lived. They would have shown that they were sorry for their sins. They would have put on rough clothes. They would also have put ashes on their heads.
• Psalms 81:11But my people refused to listen to me. My people, Israel, did not obey me.
• Isaiah 1:2Hear the Lord, those who live in heaven! Listen to him, you people on the earth! Listen carefully because the Lord has spoken! He says, ‘I have helped my children to grow. I took care of them but now they have turned against me!
• Micah 6:1Now listen to what the Lord says: ‘Stand up! Explain in front of the mountains what I want to say. Speak loud so that the hills can hear your voice.
• Mark 9:19Jesus replied, ‘You people today still do not believe in God. I have been with you for a long time and still you do not believe. It is difficult for me to be patient with you. Bring the boy to me.’
• Mark 16:14After that, Jesus appeared to the 11 apostles while they were eating. He told them that they were wrong not to believe. They should have been ready to believe. People had seen that he was now alive again. But the disciples had not believed them.
• James 1:5But maybe you need to know how to be wise. Then ask God to help you. He is ready to give everyone what they need. And he never says that it is wrong to ask. So God will help you to be wise.
• Matthew 12:41When God judges everyone, the people who lived in Nineveh will be there. They will stand up and they will speak against you. They will show that the people who are alive today are bad. When Jonah spoke to the people in Nineveh long ago, they stopped doing bad things. But look! There is someone here now who is greater than Jonah was.
• Matthew 21:28Jesus said to the Jewish leaders, ‘Tell me what you think about this story. A man had two sons. He went to the older son and said, “Son, go and work in my field today.”
• Jeremiah 8:6I have listened carefully to them, but they do not say what is right. They are not sorry for the wicked things that they have done. None of them say, “I have done something wrong.” They all continue to do what they want to do. They are like horses that are running into a battle.
• Acts 17:20The officers said, ‘These strange ideas that you are teaching surprise us. Please explain to us what these ideas mean.’
• 2 Timothy 2:25When people speak against God's true message, teach them carefully. Help them to understand what is right. Maybe God will change how they think so that they believe the true message.
• Revelation 2:21I have given her time to stop doing these bad things. But she refuses to change how she lives. She does not stop having sex with other men.
• Revelation 9:20But all the people that the fire, the smoke and the sulphur did not kill continued to do bad things. They did not change how they lived. They worshipped things that they had made for themselves. They worshipped demons and idols that they made from gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood. Those idols cannot see anything or hear anything. They cannot walk anywhere. But the people continued to worship them.
• Revelation 16:9The strong heat burned people and it hurt them very much. As a result, they said bad things against God's name, because he had the power to cause these terrible troubles. But they refused to change how they lived. They refused to agree that God is great.

Commentaries on Matthew 11:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Then began he to upbraid the cities - The more God has done to draw men unto himself, the less excusable are they if they continue in iniquity. If our blessed Lord had not done every thing that was necessary for the salvation of these people, he could not have reproached them for their impenitence.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Then began he to upbraid … - That is, to reprove, to rebuke, to denounce heavy judgment.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. 20-24The miracles Jesus performed showed he was the Messiah (Matthew 11:5–6). These miracles demanded people to repent (11:20). Those who rejected the Messiah faced great judgment, because Jesus had clearly shown who he is.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 11:20

• Impenitence
• Jesus, the Christ
• Opportunity
• Responsibility

In the dictionaries

• Easy
• Judgment, The final
• Justify
• Learn
• Lowly
• Meek
• Mighty
• Pipe
• Rest
• Thou

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