Matthew 11:20

Verse

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.

American Standard Version (1901)

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.

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.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein were done the most of his miracles, for that they had not done penance.

Free Bible Version

Then he began to reprimand the towns where he'd done most of his miracles because they had not repented.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then began he to vpbraide the cities, wherein most of his great workes were done, because they repented not.

King James (Authorized) Version

¶ Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

One Unity Resource Bible

Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t teshuvah ·turn repent·.

Translation for Translators

The people who lived in the towns [MTY] in the area where Jesus was saw him perform many miracles. But they did not turn away from their sinful behavior. So Jesus began to reproach them by saying to them,

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then Jesus began to rebuke the cities in which most of his mighty deeds were done, because they had not repented.

Noah Webster Bible

Then he began to upbraid the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they repented not.

World English Bible

Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent.

Young's Literal Translation

Then began he to reproach the cities in which were done most of his mighty works, because they did not reform.

Context

Woe to the Unrepentant

¹⁹The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”²⁰Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.²¹“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

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Summary

In this verse, Jesus denounces the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their lack of repentance despite witnessing His miracles and teachings. He expresses disappointment in their unbelief and refusal to turn from their sins. This serves as a warning against complacency and the consequences of rejecting the message of salvation. Jesus' rebuke highlights the importance of responding to God's call for repentance and faith, showing that accountability is based on the knowledge and opportunities given.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

OUTBURST OF FEELING SUGGESTED TO THE MIND OF JESUS BY THE RESULT OF HIS LABORS IN GALILEE. (Mat 11:20-30) Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Woe unto thee, Chorazin!.... Though many of Christ's mighty works were done in this place, yet mention is made of it no where else, but here; whether it was a single city, or a country, is not easy to determine: the word "Chorasin", signifying "woody places", Dr. Lightfoot (l) conjectures it might include Cana, in which Christ wrought his first miracle, and a small adjacent country, situated in a wood, and be so called from thence; and Origen (m) reads it, , "the region of Zin": woe unto thee, Bethsaida! This was the city of Andrew and Peter; see Gill on Joh 1:44; so that as bad as it was, some persons were called out of it by the grace of God, and to the high office of apostleship; and which makes that grace in such the more distinguishing: 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. These words are to be understood in a popular sense, as Grotius observes, and express what was probable, according to an human judgment of things; and the meaning is, that if the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon had had the advantages of Christ's ministry, and of seeing his miracles, as the inhabitants of Chorazin and Bethsaida had, it looks very likely, or one would be ready to conclude, especially from many coming out of these parts, to attend on Christ's ministry, Mar 3:8 and from the conversion of some of them in after times, Act 21:3 they would have repented of their sins; at least, in an external way, signified by sackcloth and ashes, which were outward signs of repentance; see Isa 58:5. And which, if it had been only performed in such a manner by the inhabitants of Chorazin and Bethsaida, would have saved them from temporal judgments, which their sins now called for. The words are an hyperbolical exaggeration of the wickedness of those cities, like to Eze 3:5 showing, that they were worse than the Tyrians and Sidonians; an Heathenish and idolatrous people, who lived very profligate and dissolute lives, in all intemperance, luxury, and impiety; and therefore would be punished in a severer way: neither this passage, nor what follows, can be any proof of God's giving sufficient grace to all men alike, which in some is effectual to conversion, and in others not, but of the contrary; since the men of Tyre and Sidon had not the same means, or the same grace, as the inhabitants of the other cities, if the mighty works done among them are to be called so; or that man has a power to repent of himself, in a spiritual and evangelical way; or that outward means, as doctrines and miracles, are sufficient to produce such a repentance, without efficacious and unfrustrable grace; since only an outward repentance is here supposed, such as that of Ahab, and of the Ninevites. (l) Chorogr. Cent. in Matth. p. 84. Vol. 2. (m) Philocalia, p. 109.

Matthew 11:20

Woe to the Unrepentant

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.

American Standard Version (1901)

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.

Bible in Basic English

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.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein were done the most of his miracles, for that they had not done penance.

Free Bible Version

Then he began to reprimand the towns where he'd done most of his miracles because they had not repented.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then began he to vpbraide the cities, wherein most of his great workes were done, because they repented not.

King James (Authorized) Version

¶ Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

One Unity Resource Bible

Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t teshuvah ·turn repent·.

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then Jesus began to rebuke the cities in which most of his mighty deeds were done, because they had not repented.

Noah Webster Bible

Then he began to upbraid the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they repented not.

World English Bible

Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent.

Young's Literal Translation

Then began he to reproach the cities in which were done most of his mighty works, because they did not reform.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Matthew 11:20

Verse

Context

Woe to the Unrepentant

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Matthew 11:20

Woe to the Unrepentant

The Meaning of the Cross

The Nature of Impenitence and the Measure of Its Guilt

Day 11, Matthew 11

Christ in You

So Great a Salvation: "Blind, but Now I See"

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes