God’s Word Translation
Matthew 11:23
23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? No, you will go down to hell! If the miracles that had been worked in you had been worked in Sodom, it would still be there 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“How horrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How horrible it will be for you, Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had been worked in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed the way they thought and acted long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? No, you will go down to hell! If the miracles that had been worked in you had been worked in Sodom, it would still be there today. 24I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Sodom than for you.” 25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from wise and intelligent people and revealing them to little children.
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 made his home in Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. This was in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
- Matthew 8:5When Jesus went to Capernaum, a Roman army officer came to beg him for help.
- Matthew 17:24When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter. They asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
- Luke 4:23So he said to them, “You’ll probably quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ and then say to me, ‘Do all the things in your hometown that we’ve heard you’ve done in Capernaum.’ ”
- John 4:46Jesus returned to the city of Cana in Galilee, where he had changed water into wine. A government official was in Cana. His son was sick in Capernaum.
- Isaiah 14:13You thought, “I’ll go up to heaven and set up my throne above God’s stars. I’ll sit on the mountain far away in the north where the gods assemble.
- Lamentations 2:1“Look how the Lord has covered the people of Zion with the cloud of his anger! He has thrown down Israel’s beauty from heaven to earth. He didn’t ⌞even⌟ remember his footstool on the day of his anger.
- Ezekiel 28:12“Son of man, sing a funeral song for the ruler of Tyre. Tell him, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: You were the perfect example, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
- Ezekiel 31:16I made the nations tremble in fear at the sound of the tree’s crash. I brought the tree down to the grave to join those who had gone down to the pit. Then all the trees in Eden, the choicest and best trees of Lebanon, and all the trees that were well-watered were comforted below the earth.
- Obadiah 1:4Even though you fly high like an eagle and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you down from there,” declares the Lord.
- Luke 14:11Those who honor themselves will be humbled, but people who humble themselves will be honored.”
- 2 Peter 2:4God didn’t spare angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, where he has secured them with chains of darkness and is holding them for judgment.
- Genesis 13:13(The people who lived in Sodom were very wicked. They committed terrible sins against the Lord.)
- Genesis 19:24Then the Lord made burning sulfur and fire rain out of heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Ezekiel 16:48As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.
- Jude 1:7What happened to Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities near them is an example for us of the punishment of eternal fire. The people of these cities suffered the same fate that God’s people and the angels did, because they committed sexual sins and engaged in homosexual activities.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries