Matthew · Bible in Basic English
Matthew 11 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 And it came about that when Jesus had come to the end of giving these orders to his twelve disciples, he went away from there, teaching and preaching in their towns.
1 Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς διατάσσων τοῖς δώδεκα μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ μετέβη ἐκεῖθεν τοῦ διδάσκειν καὶ κηρύσσειν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν.
2 Now when John had news in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples
2 Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης ἀκούσας ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, πέμψας δύο τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ
3 To say to him, Are you he who is to come, or are we waiting for another?
3 εἶπεν αὐτῷ· σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶμεν;
4 And Jesus, answering, said to them, Go and give news to John of the things which you are seeing and hearing:
4 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάννῃ ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ βλέπετε·
5 The blind see; those who were not able to, are walking; lepers are made clean; those who were without hearing, now have their ears open; the dead come to life again, and the poor have the good news given to them.
5 τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσι καὶ χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσι, λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσι, νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται καὶ πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται·
6 And a blessing will be on him who has no doubts about me.
6 καὶ μακάριός ἐστιν ὃς ἐὰν μὴ σκανδαλισθῇ ἐν ἐμοί.
7 And when they were going away, Jesus, talking of John, said to all the people, What went you out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind?
7 Τούτων δὲ πορευομένων ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγειν τοῖς ὄχλοις περὶ Ἰωάννου· τί ἐξήλθετε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον θεάσασθαι; κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευόμενον;
8 But what went you out to see? a man delicately clothed? Those who have fair robes are in kings' houses.
8 ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθετε ἰδεῖν; ἄνθρωπον ἐν μαλακοῖς ἱματίοις ἠμφιεσμένον; ἰδοὺ οἱ τὰ μαλακὰ φοροῦντες ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις τῶν βασιλέων εἰσίν.
9 But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
9 ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθετε ἰδεῖν; προφήτην; ναὶ λέγω ὑμῖν, καὶ περισσότερον προφήτου.
10 This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you.
10 οὗτος γάρ ἐστι περὶ οὗ γέγραπται· ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου.
11 Truly I say to you, Among the sons of women there has not been a greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
11 ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐκ ἐγήγερται ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν μείζων Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ· ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom of heaven is forcing its way in, and men of force take it.
12 ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
13 For all the prophets and the law were in force till John.
13 πάντες γὰρ οἱ προφῆται καὶ ὁ νόμος ἕως Ἰωάννου προεφήτευσαν.
14 And if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come.
14 καὶ εἰ θέλετε δέξασθαι, αὐτός ἐστιν Ἠλίας ὁ μέλλων ἔρχεσθαι.
15 He who has ears, let him give ear.
15 ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω.
16 But what comparison may I make of this generation? It is like children seated in the market-places, crying out to one another,
16 Τίνι δὲ ὁμοιώσω τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην; ὁμοία ἐστὶ παιδίοις καθημένοις ἐν ἀγοραῖς, ἃ προσφωνοῦντα τοῖς ἑταίροις αὐτῶν λέγουσιν·
17 We made music for you and you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow and you made no signs of grief.
17 ηὐλήσαμεν ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε, ἐθρηνήσαμεν ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐκ ἐκόψασθε.
18 For John came, taking no food or drink, and they say, He has an evil spirit.
18 ἦλθε γὰρ Ἰωάννης μήτε ἐσθίων μήτε πίνων, καὶ λέγουσι· δαιμόνιον ἔχει.
19 The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.
19 ἦλθεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων, καὶ λέγουσιν· ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος φάγος καὶ οἰνοπότης, τελωνῶν φίλος καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν. καὶ ἐδικαιώθη ἡ σοφία ἀπὸ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς!
20 Then he went on to say hard things to the towns where most of his works of power were done, because they had not been turned from their sins.
20 Τότε ἤρξατο ὀνειδίζειν τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς ἐγένοντο αἱ πλεῖσται δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐ μετενόησαν·
21 Unhappy are you, Chorazin! Unhappy are you, Beth-saida! For if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have been turned from their sins in days gone by, clothing themselves in haircloth and putting dust on their heads.
21 οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν, οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν ὑμῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ καθήμεναι μετενόησαν.
22 But I say to you, It will be better for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judging, than for you.
22 πλὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως ἢ ὑμῖν.
23 And you, Capernaum, were you not to be lifted up to heaven? you will go down into hell: for if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been here to this day.
23 καὶ σὺ Καπερναούμ, ἡ ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθεῖσα, ἕως ᾅδου καταβιβασθήσῃ· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί, ἔμειναν ἂν μέχρι [τῆς] σήμερον.
24 But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom in the day of judging, than for you.
24 πλὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι γῇ Σοδόμων ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως ἢ σοί.
25 At that time Jesus made answer and said, I give praise to you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have kept these things secret from the wise and the men of learning, and have made them clear to little children.
25 Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, πάτερ, κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἀπέκρυψας ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν, καὶ ἀπεκάλυψας αὐτὰ νηπίοις·
26 Yes, Father, for so it was pleasing in your eyes.
26 ναί, ὁ πατήρ, ὅτι οὕτως ἐγένετο εὐδοκία ἔμπροσθέν σου.
27 All things have been given to me by my Father; and no one has knowledge of the Son, but the Father; and no one has knowledge of the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will make it clear.
27 Πάντα μοι παρεδόθη ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου· καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐπιγινώσκει τὸν υἱὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ, οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα τις ἐπιγινώσκει εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ ᾧ ἐὰν βούληται ὁ υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψαι.
28 Come to me, all you who are troubled and weighted down with care, and I will give you rest.
28 Δεῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς.
29 Take my yoke on you and become like me, for I am gentle and without pride, and you will have rest for your souls;
29 ἄρατε τὸν ζυγόν μου ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς καὶ μάθετε ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾷός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ εὑρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν·
30 For my yoke is good, and the weight I take up is not hard.
30 ὁ γὰρ ζυγός μου χρηστὸς καὶ τὸ φορτίον μου ἐλαφρόν ἐστιν.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
Places
Capernaum
A fishing and customs town on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus healed, taught, and called disciples. Its ruins include a 4th–5th c. synagogue built over an earlier one.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:13; Mark 2:1; Matthew 11:23
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Isaiah 61:1–3; Acts 10:38; Matthew 9:35; Luke 8:1; Luke 4:15–21
- 2 Matthew 14:3; Mark 6:17; Matthew 4:12; Luke 7:18–35; Matthew 9:14
- 3 John 11:27; Malachi 3:1; Hebrews 10:37; Deuteronomy 18:15–18; Micah 5:2
- 5 Isaiah 35:4–6; Isaiah 61:1–3; Isaiah 42:6–7; Luke 4:18; Isaiah 29:18
- 6 Isaiah 8:14–15; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Matthew 26:31; John 6:66; Luke 11:27–28
- 7 James 1:6; John 5:35; Luke 8:18; Luke 7:24–30; Ephesians 4:14
- 8 Matthew 3:4; 2 Kings 1:8; 2 Corinthians 11:27; Zechariah 13:4; Isaiah 20:2
- 9 Luke 1:76; Matthew 14:5; Mark 9:11–13; Matthew 17:12–13; Matthew 21:24–26
- 10 Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 4:5; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:26–27
- 11 Luke 7:28; Ephesians 3:8; Matthew 3:11; John 1:15; Matthew 5:19
- 12 Luke 16:16; Luke 13:24; Ephesians 6:11–13; Philippians 2:12; John 6:27
- 13 Matthew 5:17–18; Romans 3:21; Acts 3:22–24; Acts 13:27; Luke 24:44
- 14 Malachi 4:5; Mark 9:11–13; Matthew 17:10–13; Luke 1:17; John 1:21–23
- 15 Matthew 13:9; Luke 8:8; Mark 4:23; Matthew 13:43; Mark 4:9
- 16 Luke 7:31–35; Matthew 23:36; Mark 4:30; Matthew 12:34; Luke 13:18
- 17 Isaiah 28:9–13; Jeremiah 9:17–20; Isaiah 30:29; Matthew 9:15; Jeremiah 31:4
- 18 Matthew 3:4; Luke 1:15; John 10:20; Matthew 10:25; John 8:48
- 19 Matthew 9:10–11; Luke 7:34–36; Luke 15:1–2; Luke 19:7; Luke 5:29–30
- 20 Luke 10:13–15; 2 Timothy 2:25–26; Jeremiah 8:6; Isaiah 1:2–5; Revelation 9:20–21
- 21 Ezekiel 3:6–7; Matthew 15:21; Acts 12:20; Luke 9:10; John 12:21
- 22 Matthew 11:24; Matthew 10:15; Hebrews 10:26–31; Luke 12:47–48; Matthew 12:36
- 23 Isaiah 14:13–15; John 4:46–54; Matthew 4:13; Genesis 13:13; Revelation 11:8
- 24 Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22; Mark 6:11; Lamentations 4:6; Luke 10:12
- 25 Matthew 21:16; Psalm 8:2; Matthew 16:17; Luke 10:21–24; 1 Corinthians 1:18–29
- 26 Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 3:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; Luke 10:21; Romans 9:18
- 27 John 14:6–9; Matthew 28:18; Luke 10:22; 2 John 9; John 17:25–26
- 28 Matthew 11:29; John 7:37; John 6:37; Galatians 5:1; Isaiah 55:1–3
- 29 Jeremiah 6:16; 1 John 2:6; Philippians 2:7–8; John 13:15; Luke 6:46–48
- 30 1 John 5:3; John 16:33; Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Galatians 5:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The lesson of the Holy Gospel has set before us a question touching John the Baptist. May the Lord assist me to resolve it to you, as He hath resolved it to us.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
That is, after He had sent them, He proceeded to withdraw Himself, to give them room and opportunity to do what He had enjoined. For while He was present and healing, no one would be willing to approach them.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… the Christ, because the Jews knew not what the Father was, and what the Son, in like manner accused them; and Himself said, "No one knoweth the Father, but the Son; nor the Son, but the Father, and they to whom the Son revealeth Him." Now the Word of God is His Son, as we have before said.
And again, when He said, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, and learn of Me," He announced the Father of truth.
"Because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes;" that they "that labour and are heavy laden" might "come" unto Him and He might refresh them, because He is "meek and lowly in heart." "The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek will He teach His way;" looking upon our …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)