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MAT 11:20-24

Woe to the Unrepentant

20Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his acts of power had occurred, because they had not repented:

21"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the acts of power that occurred in you had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22But I say to you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

23And you, Capernaum — will you be exalted to heaven? You will descend to Hades! For if the acts of power that occurred in you had occurred in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24But I say to you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Jewish context, Jesus’ denunciation of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum would have been heard as a prophetic judgment akin to the warnings of Isaiah or Jeremiah. These towns, located in Galilee, were familiar with Jesus’ ministry and the '' (miracles) he performed, which were understood as manifestations of divine power. Yet, their failure to '' (repent) signaled a rejection of God’s call to turn back to Him. The comparison to Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom—cities infamous in Jewish tradition for their wickedness—heightened the severity of the rebuke. Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cities known for their wealth and idolatry, while Sodom symbolized ultimate moral corruption. By suggesting that these pagan cities would have repented if they had witnessed Jesus’ miracles, Jesus underscored the greater accountability of these Jewish towns. The use of '' (woe) evoked a lament over impending judgment, evoking the imagery of sackcloth and ashes, traditional signs of mourning and repentance. Capernaum’s pride, symbolized by its imagined exaltation to heaven, would result in its descent to Hades, a stark reversal of honor and a warning of divine retribution.

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How other translations render this

MAT 11:20

KJV
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
BSB
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
Koinōnos
Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his acts of power had occurred, because they had not repented:

MAT 11:21

KJV
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.
BSB
“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.
Koinōnos
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the acts of power that occurred in you had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

MAT 11:22

KJV
But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
BSB
But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
Koinōnos
But I say to you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

MAT 11:23

KJV
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.
BSB
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
Koinōnos
And you, Capernaum — will you be exalted to heaven? You will descend to Hades! For if the acts of power that occurred in you had occurred in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

MAT 11:24

KJV
But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
BSB
But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
Koinōnos
But I say to you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

MAT 11:20

  • to denounce:The word translated 'to denounce' here carries a strong sense of reviling, reproaching, or shaming someone publicly, often with harsh words.
  • miracles:The term used here for 'miracles' literally means 'powers' or 'acts of power,' emphasizing the divine ability and might behind these extraordinary deeds.

MAT 11:21

  • Woe:The exclamation 'Woe' is a cry of deep lament, sorrow, and often a pronouncement of impending judgment or misfortune, not merely an expression of sadness.
  • they have repented.:The word translated 'they have repented' means to change one's mind or purpose, leading to a change in behavior, often with a sense of regret for past actions.