# Matthew 11.25

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-28 | updated: 2026-05-28 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 23. <span class="rl-speech">And you, Capernaum, shall you be exalted unto heaven? you shall go down unto Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day.</span> 24. <span class="rl-speech">But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.</span>
>
> **25. At that season Jesus answered and said, <span class="rl-speech">I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you did hide these things from the wise and understanding, and did reveal them unto babes:</span>**
>
> 26. <span class="rl-speech">Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight.</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knows the Son, save the Father; neither does any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomever the Son willeth to reveal him.</span> (Matthew 11:23-27, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 23. <span class="rl-speech">You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until today.</span> 24. <span class="rl-speech">But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you.”</span>
>
> **25. At that time, Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.</span>**
>
> 26. <span class="rl-speech">Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.</span> (Matthew 11:23-27, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 23. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 24. <span class="rl-speech">But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.</span>
>
> **25. At that time Jesus answered and said, <span class="rl-speech">I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.</span>**
>
> 26. <span class="rl-speech">Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.</span> (Matthew 11:23-27, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 23. <span class="rl-speech">'And thou, Capernaum, which unto the heaven wast exalted, unto hades shalt be brought down, because if in Sodom had been done the mighty works that were done in thee, it had remained unto this day;</span> 24. <span class="rl-speech">but I say to you, to the land of Sodom it shall be more tolerable in a day of judgment than to thee.'</span>
>
> **25. At that time Jesus answering said, <span class="rl-speech">'I do confess to Thee, Father, Lord of the heavens and of the earth, that thou didst hide these things from wise and understanding ones, and didst reveal them to babes.</span>**
>
> 26. <span class="rl-speech">Yes, Father, because so it was good pleasure before Thee.</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">'All things were delivered to me by my Father, and none doth know the Son, except the Father, nor doth any know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son may wish to reveal [Him].</span> (Matthew 11:23-27, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** Matthew (traditionally) the tax-collector-apostle / narrator + Jesus's direct prayer-saying
- **Audience:** Jewish-Christian audience (heavy OT-fulfillment emphasis)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Antioch (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80

## Theological reading

_Matthew 11:25 is Jesus's own prayer thanking the Father for the asymmetry between *the wise* (who do not receive) and *babes* (who do receive). Cited in the [Divine Hiddenness](/codex/divine-hiddenness/) discussion as the canonical statement that the hiddenness-and-revelation pattern is *purposed*, not accidental, in Jesus's own teaching. For full theological treatment, see [Lesson 4.2, Divine Hiddenness](/codex/lesson-4-2-divine-hiddenness/). The book of Matthew hub ([Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/)) provides higher-level theological context._

## See also

- [Divine Hiddenness](/codex/divine-hiddenness/), the master concept hub
- [Lesson 4.2, Divine Hiddenness](/codex/lesson-4-2-divine-hiddenness/), the Course lesson
- [Matthew 7.7](/codex/matthew-7-7/), the seek-and-find logion
- [Matthew 13.44](/codex/matthew-13-44/), the hidden-treasure parable
- [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/), book hub

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [OT vs NT God Objection Defeater](/codex/ot-vs-nt-god-objection-defeater/)

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 11.4-30](/codex/matthew-11-4-30/)
- [Lesson 4.2, Divine Hiddenness](/codex/lesson-4-2-divine-hiddenness/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0602 - apokalypsis](/codex/g0602-apokalypsis/), via [Matthew 11.25-27](/codex/matthew-11-25-27/)
- [G2962 - kyrios](/codex/g2962-kyrios/)

**Passages:**

- [Matthew 13.44](/codex/matthew-13-44/)
- [Matthew 7.7](/codex/matthew-7-7/)

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## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.