New English Translation
Matthew 11:23
23And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be thrown down to Hades! For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day.
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! If the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you! And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be thrown down to Hades! For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day. 24But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region 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 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 4:13While in Galilee, he moved from Nazareth to make his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
- Matthew 8:5When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him asking for help:
- Matthew 17:24After they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?”
- Luke 4:23Jesus said to them, “No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ and say, ‘What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too.’”
- John 4:46Now he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had made the water wine. In Capernaum there was a certain royal official whose son was sick.
- Isaiah 14:13You said to yourself, “I will climb up to the sky. Above the stars of El I will set up my throne. I will rule on the mountain of assembly on the remote slopes of Zaphon.
- Lamentations 2:1Alas! The Lord has covered Daughter Zion with his anger. He has thrown down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth; he did not protect his temple when he displayed his anger. ב (Bet)
- Ezekiel 28:12“Son of man, sing a lament for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘You were the sealer of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
- Ezekiel 31:16I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I threw it down to Sheol, along with those who descend to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon, all that were well-watered, were comforted in the earth below.
- Obadiah 1:4Even if you were to soar high like an eagle, even if you were to make your nest among the stars, I can bring you down even from there!” says the Lord.
- Luke 14:11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- 2 Peter 2:4For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but threw them into hell and locked them up in chains in utter darkness, to be kept until the judgment,
- Genesis 13:13(Now the people of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the Lord.)
- Genesis 19:24Then the Lord rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord.
- Ezekiel 16:48As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.
- Jude 1:7So also Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns, since they indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire in a way similar to these angels, are now displayed as an example by suffering 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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