Devine Scripture

Matthew 11:23

What does Matthew 11:23 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 11:23 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 11:23 means

Jesus then pronounced a severe judgment upon Capernaum, the city that served as his Galilean headquarters and witnessed many of his most powerful miracles. He ironically asked if they would be exalted to heaven, only to declare they would instead be brought down to Hades. He asserted that if the mighty works done in Capernaum had been done in Sodom, a city utterly destroyed for its wickedness, Sodom would have remained to that very day. This implies that Capernaum's rejection of Christ in the face of such overwhelming evidence was an even greater sin than that of Sodom.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt 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.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt 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.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

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.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`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;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And thou Capharnaum, shalt thou be exalted up to heaven? thou shalt go down even unto hell. For if in Sodom had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in thee, perhaps it had remained unto this day.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And thou, Capernaum, who hast been raised up to heaven, shalt be brought down even to hades. For if the works of power which have taken place in thee, had taken place in Sodom, it had remained until this day.

Context

This verse intensifies the condemnation, focusing on Capernaum, a city with maximum exposure to Jesus' ministry. Building on the previous comparisons, Jesus now likens Capernaum's impenitence to that of Sodom, a city synonymous with divine judgment. This dramatic comparison underscores the extreme spiritual blindness of Capernaum, setting the stage for its even harsher fate in the day of judgment.

v.22But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you.

v.23This passage

v.24But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Matthew 17:24

    And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received the half-shekel came to Peter, and said, Doth not your teacher pay the half-shekel?

  • Genesis 13:13

    Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against Jehovah exceedingly.

  • Lamentations 2:1

    How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger! He hath cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, And hath not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger.

  • Revelation 11:8

    And their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

  • Matthew 16:18

    And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

  • John 4:46

    He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

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