# Matthew 11.4-30

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-11 | updated: 2026-06-11 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 2. Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Christ, he sent by his disciples 3. and said unto him, art thou he that comes, or look we for another?
>
> **4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:</span> 5. <span class="rl-speech">the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached to them.</span> 6. <span class="rl-speech">And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me.</span> 7. <span class="rl-speech">And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?</span> 8. <span class="rl-speech">But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft clothes? Behold, they that wear soft clothes are in kings' houses.</span> 9. <span class="rl-speech">But why went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.</span> 10. <span class="rl-speech">This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee.</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.</span> 12. <span class="rl-speech">And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force.</span> 13. <span class="rl-speech">For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.</span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">And if you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">He that has ears to hear, let him hear.</span> 16. <span class="rl-speech">But whereunto shall I compare this generation? It is like unto sons sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon.</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works.</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">Then began he to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.</span> 21. <span class="rl-speech">Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.</span> 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> 28. <span class="rl-speech">Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.</span> 29. <span class="rl-speech">Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.</span>** (Matthew 11:2-30, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 2. Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3. and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”
>
> **4. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">“Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:</span> 5. <span class="rl-speech">the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.</span> 6. <span class="rl-speech">Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”</span> 7. <span class="rl-speech">As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?</span> 8. <span class="rl-speech">But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.</span> 9. <span class="rl-speech">But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.</span> 10. <span class="rl-speech">For this is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.</span> 12. <span class="rl-speech">From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.</span> 13. <span class="rl-speech">For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.</span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">He who has ears to hear, let him hear.</span> 16. <span class="rl-speech">“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned for you, and you didn’t lament.’</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent.</span> 21. <span class="rl-speech">“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.</span> 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> 28. <span class="rl-speech">“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.</span> 29. <span class="rl-speech">Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”</span>** (Matthew 11:2-30, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 2. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3. And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
>
> **4. Jesus answered and said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:</span> 5. <span class="rl-speech">The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.</span> 6. <span class="rl-speech">And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.</span> 7. <span class="rl-speech">And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?</span> 8. <span class="rl-speech">But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.</span> 9. <span class="rl-speech">But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.</span> 10. <span class="rl-speech">For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.</span> 12. <span class="rl-speech">And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. <sup>suffereth: or, is gotten by force, and they that thrust men</sup></span> 13. <span class="rl-speech">For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.</span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.</span> 16. <span class="rl-speech">But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:</span> 21. <span class="rl-speech">Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.</span> 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> 28. <span class="rl-speech">Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.</span> 29. <span class="rl-speech">Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.</span>** (Matthew 11:2-30, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 2. And John having heard in the prison the works of the Christ, having sent two of his disciples, 3. said to him, 'Art thou He who is coming, or for another do we look?'
>
> **4. And Jesus answering said to them, <span class="rl-speech">'Having gone, declare to John the things that ye hear and see,</span> 5. <span class="rl-speech">blind receive sight, and lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear, dead are raised, and poor have good news proclaimed,</span> 6. <span class="rl-speech">and happy is he who may not be stumbled in me.'</span> 7. <span class="rl-speech">And as they are going, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, 'What went ye out to the wilderness to view?, a reed shaken by the wind?</span> 8. <span class="rl-speech">'But what went ye out to see?, a man clothed in soft garments? lo, those wearing the soft things are in the kings'</span> houses. 9. 'But what went ye out to see?, a prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet, 10. for this is he of whom it hath been written, Lo, I do send My messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. 11. Verily I say to you, there hath not risen, among those born of women, a greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the reign of the heavens is greater than he. 12. 'And, from the days of John the Baptist till now, the reign of the heavens doth suffer violence, and violent men do take it by force, 13. for all the prophets and the law till John did prophesy, 14. and if ye are willing to receive [it], he is Elijah who was about to come; 15. he who is having ears to hear, let him hear. 16. 'And to what shall I liken this generation? it is like little children in market-places, sitting and calling to their comrades, 17. and saying, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance, we lamented to you, and ye did not smite the breast. 18. 'For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon; 19. the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Lo, a man, a glutton, and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners, and wisdom was justified of her children.' 20. Then began he to reproach the cities in which were done most of his mighty works, because they did not reform. 21. 'Woe to thee, Chorazin! woe to thee, Bethsaida! because, if in Tyre and Sidon had been done the mighty works that were done in you, long ago in sackcloth and ashes they had reformed; 22. but I say to you, to Tyre and Sidon it shall be more tolerable in a day of judgment than for you. 23. '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; 24. but I say to you, to the land of Sodom it shall be more tolerable in a day of judgment than to thee.' 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> 28. <span class="rl-speech">'Come unto me, all ye labouring and burdened ones, and I will give you rest,</span> 29. <span class="rl-speech">take up my yoke upon you, and learn from me, because I am meek and humble in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls,</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">for my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.'</span>** (Matthew 11:2-30, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

<!-- BACKLINKS:START -->
## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from Religious Experience](/codex/argument-from-religious-experience/), via [Matthew 11.28](/codex/matthew-11-28/)
- [Argument from Restlessness](/codex/argument-from-restlessness/), via [Matthew 11.28-30](/codex/matthew-11-28-30/)
- [Cumulative Case for the Deity of Christ](/codex/cumulative-case-for-the-deity-of-christ/), via [Matthew 11.2-6](/codex/matthew-11-2-6/)
- [Evil God Objection Defeater](/codex/evil-god-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 11.28](/codex/matthew-11-28/)
- [Failed Messianic Prophecy Objection Defeater](/codex/failed-messianic-prophecy-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 11.14](/codex/matthew-11-14/)
- [Inherited Guilt and Visiting Iniquity Objection Defeater](/codex/inherited-guilt-and-visiting-iniquity-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 11.21-24](/codex/matthew-11-21-24/)
- [Jesus Never Claimed to Be God Objection Defeater](/codex/jesus-never-claimed-to-be-god-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 11.27](/codex/matthew-11-27/)
- [Liar Lunatic or Lord](/codex/liar-lunatic-or-lord/), via [Matthew 11.27](/codex/matthew-11-27/)
- [OT vs NT God Objection Defeater](/codex/ot-vs-nt-god-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 11.25](/codex/matthew-11-25/)
- [Sabbath Breaking Stoning Objection Defeater](/codex/sabbath-breaking-stoning-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 11.28-30](/codex/matthew-11-28-30/)

**Concepts:**

- [100 Verses of Compassion and God's Goodness](/codex/100-verses-of-compassion-and-gods-goodness/), via [Matthew 11.28](/codex/matthew-11-28/)
- [Calvinism vs Arminianism vs Molinism vs Open Theism](/codex/calvinism-vs-arminianism-vs-molinism-vs-open-theism/), via [Matthew 11.21-23](/codex/matthew-11-21-23/)
- [Christ Was Made (Misread Proof-Texts)](/codex/christ-was-made-misread-proof-texts/), via [Matthew 11.27](/codex/matthew-11-27/)
- [Christianity](/codex/christianity/), via [Matthew 11.10](/codex/matthew-11-10/)
- [Divine Wipeouts and Their Justification](/codex/divine-wipeouts-and-their-justification/), via [Matthew 11.23-24](/codex/matthew-11-23-24/)
- [Father-Son Authority Asymmetry](/codex/father-son-authority-asymmetry/), via [Matthew 11.27](/codex/matthew-11-27/)
- [Feeling Distant from God](/codex/feeling-distant-from-god/), via [Matthew 11.28-30](/codex/matthew-11-28-30/)
- [Foreknowledge vs Causation](/codex/foreknowledge-vs-causation/), via [Matthew 11.21](/codex/matthew-11-21/), [Matthew 11.21-23](/codex/matthew-11-21-23/)
- [Hell and Eternal Punishment](/codex/hell-and-eternal-punishment/), via [Matthew 11.23](/codex/matthew-11-23/)
- [Hyper-Calvinism](/codex/hyper-calvinism/), via [Matthew 11.28](/codex/matthew-11-28/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/)
- [Lesson 4.2, Divine Hiddenness](/codex/lesson-4-2-divine-hiddenness/), via [Matthew 11.25](/codex/matthew-11-25/)
- [Meaning-Centered Evangelism](/codex/meaning-centered-evangelism/), via [Matthew 11.28](/codex/matthew-11-28/)
- [Molinism](/codex/molinism/), via [Matthew 11.21-23](/codex/matthew-11-21-23/)
- [Old Testament Witness to the Deity of Christ](/codex/old-testament-witness-to-the-deity-of-christ/), via [Matthew 11.2-6](/codex/matthew-11-2-6/)
- [Repentance](/codex/g3341-metanoia/), via [Matthew 11.28](/codex/matthew-11-28/)
- [Trinity vs Oneness vs Modalism vs Arianism](/codex/trinity-vs-oneness-vs-modalism-vs-arianism/), via [Matthew 11.27](/codex/matthew-11-27/)

**People:**

- [Elisha](/codex/elisha/), via [Matthew 11.14](/codex/matthew-11-14/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0086 - hades](/codex/g0086-hades/), via [Matthew 11.23](/codex/matthew-11-23/)
- [G0602 - apokalypsis](/codex/g0602-apokalypsis/), via [Matthew 11.25-27](/codex/matthew-11-25-27/)
- [G1067 - geenna](/codex/g1067-geenna/), via [Matthew 11.23](/codex/matthew-11-23/)
- [G1344 - dikaioo](/codex/g1344-dikaioo/), via [Matthew 11.19](/codex/matthew-11-19/)
- [G1453 - egeiro](/codex/g1453-egeiro/), via [Matthew 11.5](/codex/matthew-11-5/)
- [G2097 - euangelizo](/codex/g2097-euangelizo/), via [Matthew 11.5](/codex/matthew-11-5/)
- [G2962 - kyrios](/codex/g2962-kyrios/), via [Matthew 11.25](/codex/matthew-11-25/)
- [G932 - basileia](/codex/g932-basileia/), via [Matthew 11.12](/codex/matthew-11-12/)
- [H7585 - sheol](/codex/h7585-sheol/), via [Matthew 11.16](/codex/matthew-11-16/), [Matthew 11.23](/codex/matthew-11-23/)
- [H8085 - shama](/codex/h8085-shama/), via [Matthew 11.15](/codex/matthew-11-15/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->
## Notes

_Your annotations._

---

_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## 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.