New Living Translation
Matthew 11:23
23“And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here 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“What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 22I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. 24I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.” 25At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.
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 went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
- Matthew 8:5When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him,
- Matthew 17:24On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”
- Luke 4:23Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’
- John 4:46As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick.
- Isaiah 14:13For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north.
- Lamentations 2:1The Lord in his anger has cast a dark shadow over beautiful Jerusalem. The fairest of Israel’s cities lies in the dust, thrown down from the heights of heaven. In his day of great anger, the Lord has shown no mercy even to his Temple.
- Ezekiel 28:12“Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty.
- Ezekiel 31:16I made the nations shake with fear at the sound of its fall, for I sent it down to the grave with all the others who descend to the pit. And all the other proud trees of Eden, the most beautiful and the best of Lebanon, the ones whose roots went deep into the water, took comfort to find it there with them in the depths of the earth.
- Obadiah 1:4But even if you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down,” says the Lord.
- Luke 14:11For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
- 2 Peter 2:4For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.
- Genesis 13:13But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord.
- Genesis 19:24Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Ezekiel 16:48As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, Sodom and her daughters were never as wicked as you and your daughters.
- Jude 1:7And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries